"Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) spokesperson Lin Jian did not say on Monday whether China was among the seven countries that Donald Trump said he had pressed to join a coalition to secure the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has largely closed in response to US-Israeli strikes.  "Recent tensions in the Strait of Hormuz and adjacent waters have disrupted international cargo and energy trade routes and undermined regional and global peace and stability. China once again calls on all parties to immediately cease military operations, avoid further escalation of tensions, and prevent regional instability from having a greater impact on global economic development," he said. "We are maintaining communication with all parties regarding the current situation and are committed to promoting de-escalation," Lin Jian added. He also said that the sanctions against US State Secretary Marco Rubio will not impede the politician from his upcoming visit with President Donald Trump to China. "China's sanctions target Mr Rubio's remarks and actions regarding China during his tenure as a US Senator," he said. However, despite the termination of 2020 sanctions on Rubio over his Hong Kong remarks, the largely anticipated face-to-face meeting between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping is currently on the ropes.  "Head-of-state diplomacy plays an irreplaceable strategic guiding role in US-China relations, and the two sides have maintained communication regarding President Trump’s visit to China," he commented. The American leader suggested delaying his visit scheduled from March 31 to April 1 in his attempt to sway Beijing into helping to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The MOFA spokesperson commented that the two countries 'maintained communication' on the issue. The Israeli-US military launched a joint operation against Iran on 28 February. Tehran responded to the attack with missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and US military facilities across the region, with explosions reported in several Gulf countries. The war has also seen soaring global energy prices and the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which handles 20 per cent of global oil traffic. Among others, the closure of the Strait heavily burdens China, which imports over 40 per cent of its oil (4.9 million barrels per day) from the Middle Eastern countries."