China’s ambassador to the UN says it is of crucial importance that the ceasefire in the US-Israel war on Iran remains in place, Al Jazeera reports.

Fu Cong tells reporters at the UN that the Strait of Hormuz needs to be reopened as quickly as possible, adding that China is very concerned about remarks it had heard recently about the ceasefire being temporary and the need to initiate another round of attacks.

“Iran needs to lift its restrictions on the Strait of Hormuz, and the US needs to lift its naval blockade,” he says. “The most urgent issue is to keep the ceasefire. And the ceasefire needs to last, and there has to be a good-faith negotiation between the two sides.

“I think the international community should be mobilised and raise our voices against the resumption of fighting,” he adds.

Asked about Trump’s visit to China scheduled for this month, he says: “I’m sure if [the Strait of] Hormuz is still closed by the time President Trump goes to China, this issue will be high on the agenda of the bilateral talks”.

The ambassador also rejects allegations from some US officials about military cooperation between China and Iran as “false.”