China called on the United States and Iran on Tuesday to restore safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, as fighting between the two sides reignited over how the strategic waterway should be managed.

"Restoring normal and safe passage through the strait as soon as possible is a shared aspiration of the international community," Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Lin Jian said in a news briefing, adding that Beijing would "make unremitting efforts to help de-escalate" the situation.

He was speaking after the US Central Command said that following US President Donald Trump's orders, it would reimpose a blockade on Iranian ports beginning at 2000 GMT on Tuesday, or 4am Hong Kong time on Wednesday.

Trump said on Monday the United States was "taking over" the strait and would be paid for its operations, posting on his Truth Social network that the United States "will be reimbursed, at the rate of 20 percent of all cargo shipped, for any and all costs necessary to do the job of providing safety and security".

Iran's military warned on Monday that it would not allow the United States to "interfere" in the management of the Strait of Hormuz.

A spokesman for the Khatam Al-Anbiya military command warned Gulf countries in a video message that any cooperation with the United States would be considered "an act of war".

German shipping giant Hapag-Lloyd said in response to Trump's post that charging fees for passage through international waters "would be fundamentally wrong".

The company also said it could not reliably quantify the financial impact of tensions in the Gulf region on its business. (AFP & Reuters)


Edited by Aaron Tam