Know What's Happening in Supply Chain

From Silence to Ambiguity: Beijing Steps Into the Hormuz Crisis Cautiously

China has moved from silence to ambiguity in the Strait of Hormuz crisis, negotiating a passage protocol that allowed Chinese vessels to transit the waterway after direct talks with Tehran. The move underscores Beijing’s role as Iran’s largest oil buyer and now an active manager of its own corridor access, though it stops short of offering mediation. Meanwhile, the United States reports destroying more than 90% of Iran’s roughly 8,000 naval mines, while Iran still controls missiles at 30 of its 33 sites and about 70% of its pre‑war stockpile. The shift in threat profile—from indiscriminate mining to precision missile strikes—creates a new risk calculus for shippers and insurers.