Chinese-owned oil tanker attacked near Strait of Hormuz

This was the first time a Chinese oil tanker has been attacked, ​a person with knowledge of the matter told Caixin on Thursday.

Traffic through the vital ​strait, through which 20% of the world's oil and gas supplies pass, has ⁠been at a virtual standstill since the Iran conflict began on February 28.

The unnamed vessel's deck ​caught fire and the ship was marked "CHINA OWNER & CREW," according to Caixin.

It was not clear if ​any of the vessel's crew were injured.

China remains a key buyer of Iranian oil, which has been targeted by a U.S. blockade in the Gulf of Oman.

China's foreign ministry did not respond to an out-of-hours request ​for comment.

Trump said on Monday the U.S. would begin efforts to assist ships stranded in Hormuz, though ​he suspended it a day later, after Iran responded by launching drones and missiles at several ships and ‌at ⁠its neighbours, particularly the UAE.

INCIDENT OCCURRED OFF UAE COAST

Maritime security sources said the Chinese vessel that was damaged was believed to be the Marshall Islands-flagged oil products and chemical tanker JV Innovation, which had reported a fire on its deck to nearby ships on Monday.

The incident took place ​off the United Arab ​Emirates coast in ⁠the Gulf close to Mina Saqr, the report said.

Due to the ongoing conflict between the U.S. and Iran, hundreds of ships and 20,000 seafarers ​remain trapped inside the Gulf, with traffic through Hormuz paralysed after renewed attacks ​on ships ⁠this week.

China's foreign minister Wang Yi met with Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi in Beijing a day earlier and they discussed reopening the strait, a Chinese foreign ministry statement said, opens new tab.

The U.S. and Iran are edging ⁠toward a limited, ​temporary agreement to halt the war, sources and officials ​said, with a draft framework that would stop the fighting but leave the most contentious issues unresolved.