Despite the Chinese Communist Party’s one-sided promotion of so-called “China-Iran friendship,” a large number of Chinese ships remain trapped in the Persian Gulf, afraid to force their way through the Strait of Hormuz. A Phoenix TV reporter posted a video claiming that she and other journalists were stuck outside an Iranian university for three hours—neither allowed in nor out—while explosions occurred nearby. Meanwhile, the CCP has also been found to be secretly delivering hazardous chemicals to Iran, believed to be precursor materials for manufacturing solid fuel for missiles.
Chinese ships trapped in the Persian Gulf
Recently, according to the Wall Street Journal, due to the impact of the Iran war, about 2,000 ships are currently stranded in the Persian Gulf, with over 20,000 crew members caught in a dilemma. Reports also indicate casualties among them.
Fewer than 200 ships have successfully passed through the Strait of Hormuz. Many crew members have been stranded at sea for over a month, facing increasingly scarce supplies and the constant threat of attack.
A 30-year-old Chinese sailor said his ship is waiting to enter the Gulf. He reported that missiles and drones have flown overhead almost day and night, keeping the entire crew in a highly tense state.
Another 32-year-old Chinese sailor revealed that the LNG ship he was on has been stranded about 25 nautical miles northwest of Dubai for several weeks. The Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard frequently issues maritime and even high-frequency radio warnings forbidding ships from passing through the Strait of Hormuz. He recounted that a few days ago, at around 5:40 a.m., he was startled awake by a loud explosion and saw thick smoke rising from a nearby vessel.
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The sailor disclosed that shipowners had repeatedly urged crews to risk crossing the Strait of Hormuz, but the captain and most crew members refused. He stated that unless two clear conditions are met, no one is willing to move forward: first, the U.S. must control the two key islands near Iran; second, the Iranian navy must explicitly announce via VHF that the Strait of Hormuz has returned to normal navigation.
The real situation and thoughts of these crew members reveal the true nature of the CCP’s so-called “China-Iran friendship.” Chinese sailors believe that only if the U.S. military truly controls the two key islands near Iran can the stranded ships be safe—directly contradicting CCP propaganda.
Phoenix TV reporter trapped at explosion site as a ‘human shield?’
Recently, Phoenix TV reporter Li Rui posted a video on Chinese social media claiming that on March 31 local time, Iranian authorities notified multiple international media that Iran University of Science and Technology had been bombed on March 28, and journalists could go to the site for reporting. Li Rui and many other media reporters arrived at the university entrance to report. What happened next was unexpected.
The university gatekeepers first took their press credentials for registration but did not allow them to enter the campus.
These journalists waited for nearly three hours outside while explosions sounded nearby. Some journalists were terrified and tried to return their press IDs and leave, but the guards refused, keeping them outside—neither letting them in nor out. Li Rui wrote: “They argued with Iranian photographers,” and the situation escalated until police arrived. Li Rui said: “I was very frustrated—having everyone wait at the entrance amid explosions is truly inhumane.”
In the first half of a live video circulating online, Li Rui praised the university as a “renowned institution,” but the second half showed a realistic view: dozens of people gathered at the entrance, apparently in dispute. Li Rui reported six explosions during filming, growing louder, indicating they were closer to the site. She said the surrounding area was also exploding, and journalists were very scared, trying to get their press IDs back to leave. She added: “You can see they are tense, and media work is extremely difficult.”
Phoenix TV is sometimes referred to as “Hong Kong CCTV,” and its reporting on the Ukraine war and the Iran conflict aligns with CCP positions.
Li Rui’s video and post drew ridicule from Chinese mainland netizens. Some suggested Iranian authorities trapped the journalists as “human anti-aircraft shields” to deter U.S.-Israeli airstrikes. Others speculated the authorities wanted foreign journalists injured to create anti-U.S./Israeli propaganda. Comments included: “Iran: journalists are the best anti-aircraft missiles,” and “Is it possible that foreign media like you are being used as cannon fodder?” Some also noted that the university gatekeepers might have withheld entry because the “script wasn’t finalized” or “the scene wasn’t set up yet.”
CCP secretly sends hazardous chemicals to Iran
Although most Chinese ships are trapped in the Persian Gulf and Chinese journalists are blocked at the university entrance, this does not prevent CCP authorities from secretly cooperating with Iran. The CCP clearly understands that even Chinese state media journalists and sailors are still Chinese citizens, not party operatives.
According to the UK Daily Telegraph, several ships departing from Zhuhai Gaolan Port, flying Iranian flags and under sanctions, have recently arrived at Iranian ports. Experts suggest these ships may carry large amounts of sodium perchlorate, enough to produce solid fuel for hundreds of missiles.
Sodium perchlorate is a precursor for missile solid fuel. The Daily Telegraph reports that since the outbreak of the Middle East conflict, at least four such ships have been docked in Iranian ports, with one more observed in Iranian waters on March 4.
Former U.S. Treasury official Maleki, responsible for Middle East sanctions, told the Telegraph that this indicates Iran is urgently replenishing rocket and missile fuel to make up for stock shortages. As Iran is in direct conflict, it is likely to further increase chemical imports in the near future.
