China denies Trump's accusation that seized Iran-bound ship had 'gift from China'
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "China denies Trump's accusation that seized Iran-bound ship had 'gift from China'")
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun in a press briefing on Friday April 24 Photograph: (AFP)
After Donald Trump suggested that a seized Iran-bound ship may have items that were not “very nice”, China has firmly denied the claim, calling it baseless and defending its trade ties with Iran.
China's Foreign Ministry on Friday rejected US President Donald Trump's accusation that the intercepted Iranian ship was a “gift from China”, Reuters reported. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said that it opposes all baseless “accusations and associations”. It further asserted that a "normal trade relationship" between countries should not be subjected to “interference and disruptions”.
“China rejects any assertion and speculation that lack factual evidence,” said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun in a press briefing.
The container ship Touska was boarded and seized by the US forces on Sunday. On Tuesday, Trump, while speaking to the CNBC news, said that the ship “some things” to which he was surprised.
"We caught a ship yesterday that had some things on it, which weren’t very nice. A gift from China, perhaps, I don’t know, but I was a little surprised because I have a very good relationship, and I thought I had an understanding with President Xi. But that’s all right," said Trump. Former US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Hailey made a similar statement, suggesting that the ship seized by the US had chemical shipments for missiles.
"The ship the US seized in the Strait of Hormuz this weekend was headed from China to Iran and is linked to chemical shipments for missiles. It refused repeated orders to stop. Another reminder that China is helping prop up Iran’s regime —a reality that can’t be ignored," wrote Hailey in a post on Social Media.
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Earlier, Reuters reported, citing anonymous sources in the US Navy, that Touska had dual-use items, but Trump didn't specify the nature of the items; instead indulged in vague characterisation. China warns that the situation in the Middle East is at a "critical juncture" after US President Donald Trump extended a ceasefire to allow Iran more time to negotiate. As Iran's largest customer, China sees this as a direct threat to its energy security and has previously warned that "attacking, detaining, or harassing" ships travelling from or to China is a violation of its sovereignty and core interests.
