As the Hormuz crisis exposes ‘fragile’ global supply chains, how will China respond?

The chief of China’s top economic planner has outlined strategies and priorities to safeguard economic security, as Beijing reassesses its preparedness and vulnerabilities amid disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz during the US-Israeli war on Iran.Zheng Shanjie, head of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), warned external risks were mounting and said China had to reinforce its strategic reserves and response capabilities.“The evolution of the international situation is profoundly affecting China as we enter a period where strategic opportunities coexist with risks and uncertainties,” Zheng wrote in an article published on Monday in Communist Party mouthpiece the People’s Daily.Geopolitical conflicts were becoming more frequent and easier to ignite, he said, adding that hegemonic ambitions and power politics were on the rise.