image sourced from original article at United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States hopes to persuade China to take a more active role in urging Iran to change its behavior in the Gulf. In an interview aired on Fox News, Rubio argued that China has a clear interest in helping to ease tensions in the region.
Rubio noted that China has ships operating in the Gulf, including one that was recently struck by Iran. He said Iran's actions are a major source of instability and warned that continued disruption threatens critical energy shipping routes that are vital to Asian economies.
He added that China has strong economic incentives to ensure shipping traffic flows freely through the Strait of Hormuz. Rubio said that if instability continues and other countries face economic strain, demand for Chinese exports could drop sharply, making it in China's interest to help resolve the crisis.
