Trump had alleged that the Iranian-flagged vessel, which was seized by US forces on Sunday, was carrying “a gift from China” and described the situation as “not very nice”.
China has denied US claims that a seized vessel contained a “gift” from Beijing for Iran, following accusations made by US President Donald Trump over an intercepted ship in the Gulf of Oman.
Trump had alleged that the Iranian-flagged vessel, which was seized by US forces on Sunday, was carrying “a gift from China” and described the situation as “not very nice”.
His comments followed claims by former US ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, who said on X that the ship was travelling from China to Iran and was linked to chemical materials used in missile production.
Responding during a regular briefing on Tuesday, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said the vessel was a “foreign container ship” and rejected what he called “malicious association and speculation”.
When asked again on Wednesday about Trump’s remarks, Guo said China had already made its position clear, adding that Beijing opposed the accusations.
He said China, as a responsible major country, had always “set a good example in fulfilling its international obligations”.
Trump said he was “a little surprised” by the situation, adding that he believed he had an understanding with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
He also claimed Xi had recently assured him that China would not supply weapons to Iran.
US Central Command said the intercepted vessel, named Touska, was heading towards the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas when it was stopped.
It said the USS Spruance fired rounds to disable the ship’s propulsion after ordering the crew to evacuate the engine room.
The incident comes amid heightened tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, a key global shipping route for oil and gas.
Iran briefly reopened the strait following a ceasefire in Lebanon but later shut it again, citing US restrictions on vessels linked to Iranian ports.
Join us on our WhatsApp Platform @KOIKIMEDIA NEWS YOUR PAGE
koikimedia Bringing the World 🌎 Closer to Your Doorstep