A US State Department spokesperson confirmed to Kyodo News on May 11 that Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, reached an agreement during a phone call in April not to allow any country to impose transit fees on vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
The agreement comes amid rising tensions in the Middle East, where the Strait of Hormuz is a strategic maritime route carrying about one-fifth of the world's crude oil. Sources say the decision aims to ensure freedom of navigation and stability in international trade.
Earlier, some regional countries had proposed fee measures to control energy flows, but the move faced opposition from both Washington and Beijing. The phone call between the top diplomats is seen as a key step to coordinate a unified stance.
The Strait of Hormuz lies between Iran and Oman, connecting the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Indian Ocean. Any disruption there could severely impact global energy markets.
