Photo courtesy of China’s Foreign Ministry.
China said it is ready to work with Southeast Asian nations to safeguard energy supplies amid the Middle East crisis.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian told reporters in Beijing that the ongoing conflict in the region has heavily affected global energy security and urged all countries to halt military operations immediately.
He said Beijing seeks closer coordination with Southeast Asian partners to jointly address energy supply challenges and mitigate the impact on regional economies.
The announcement comes as several Asian nations take measures to cope with disruptions in oil and gas shipments from the Gulf due to the ongoing US-Israel military campaign against Iran.
The conflict has also affected fertilizer markets, with urea prices rising 1.58 percent on Wednesday to surpass $610 per ton, the highest since October 2022.
Tensions in the Middle East remain high, with more than 1,200 deaths reported so far. Iran has launched drone and missile strikes across the region and restricted most ship traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route handling about 20 million barrels of oil per day.
When asked about fertilizer supplies to the Philippines, Lin said China continues to meet domestic demand first but exports to international markets, including Southeast Asia, remain possible.
