Chinese-linked ships cross Strait of Hormuz on eve of Trump-Xi meeting

Chinese-linked ships cross Strait of Hormuz on eve of Trump-Xi meeting Submitted by MEE staff on Wed, 05/13/2026 - 20:37 Chinese supertanker carrying two million barrels of Iraqi crude crossed the waterway before turning off its transponder A woman crosses a street near a billboard on the facade of a building depicting the Strait of Hormuz, with a caption in Persian reading 'Forever in Iran’s Hand', in Vanak Square in Tehran, Iran, on 6 May 2026 (AFP) Off Multiple ships linked to China transited the Strait of Hormuz in the last 24 hours, coinciding with US President Donald Trump’s arrival in Beijing, where he says he plans to discuss the war on Iran with his Chinese counterpart. The most watched vessel is a Chinese supertanker carrying two million barrels of Iraqi crude. It sailed through the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday before turning off its transponder somewhere in the Gulf of Oman, according to ship tracking data.  Iran has tried to assert its authority over the Strait of Hormuz by imposing a toll on vessels, while the US has imposed its own blockade on ships linked to Iran or those that agree to pay Tehran for the right of transit. A day earlier, six other Chinese-linked vessels crossed the Strait of Hormuz, including five oil tankers and one known to carry Liquefied Petroleum Gas,  according  to open-source intelligence analysts citing maritime tracking data. It’s unclear whether the Chinese-linked vessels paid any toll to Iran, but Tehran previously accepted Chinese yuan as payment. Trump arrived in Beijing on Wednesday. He will start his two-day visit on Thursday, meeting his counterpart, Xi Jinping. Business and trade deals are at the top of th...

Original source: Middle East Eye