ToplineChina’s President Xi Jinping on Monday called for an immediate ceasefire in the Iran War and said the Strait of Hormuz should be reopened for shipping traffic, in his first public remarks calling for the critical waterway to be opened just weeks before he is set to host President Donald Trump in Beijing.China's President Xi Jinping called for the Strait of Hormuz to be reopened.Getty ImagesKey FactsXi’s remarks were included in a readout of a call between him and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, released by Chinese State media.Xi said the strait should “remain open for normal passage,” without singling out either Iran or the U.S. blockade.The Chinese leader also added that his country wants an “immediate and comprehensive ceasefire” and is willing to support all diplomatic efforts to restore peace.The president’s remarks were published hours after the Chinese Foreign Ministry’s daily press conference, where a spokesperson said Beijing was concerned about the U.S.’s “forcible interception” of an Iranian vessel on Sunday.Xi’s remark echoes comments made by the country’s foreign ministry over the past few weeks, but this is the first time he has directly addressed the issue of Hormuz’s shutdown.What Had Xi Said About The Iran War Earlier?Last week, Xi appeared to criticize the U.S. war with Iran during a meeting with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, saying the “international order is crumbling into disarray.” Xi also met with Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheik Khaled bin Mohammed in Beijing last week and said: “We cannot allow the world to revert to the law of the jungle.” Xi, however, had stopped short of directly calling out Washington or the impact of the conflict on energy shipments through the Strait of Hormuz. TangentIn an interview with Fox Business, Trump told host Maria Bartiromo that Xi had written him a “beautiful letter” in response to one he sent asking the Chinese president about reports of weapons sales to Iran. Trump said he told Xi not to send any weapons and the Chinese leader replied, saying, “essentially he’s not doing that.” After the interview aired, Trump wrote on Truth Social that China was “very happy that I am permanently opening the Strait of Hormuz.” He added: “They have agreed not to send weapons to Iran. President Xi will give me a big, fat, hug when I get there in a few weeks.” What Do We Know About Beijing's Purchase Of Iranian Oil?According to data from the intelligence firm Kpler, China is the biggest buyer of Iranian oil and its refiners purchased more than 80% of the crude shipped by the country in 2025.Further ReadingTrump Says China’s Xi Promised No Arms Sales To Iran (Forbes)China Denounces ‘Irresponsible’ U.S. Blockade Of Hormuz As Xi Says International Order Is ‘Crumbling’ (Forbes)