Tuesday, 02 January 2024 12:17 GMT

Why China's Sitting On The Iran War Sidelines


(MENAFN- Asia Times) On a visit to Shanghai some years ago, I asked a leading Chinese strategist how Beijing would view a war between the US and Iran, which even back then seemed a high probability. I thought he would opine on how higher oil prices could threaten Chinese manufacturing.

Instead, he shocked me by explaining that China would benefit from the US fighting yet another costly war in the Middle East, since that could mark the“end of US global hegemony.” The Chinese have indeed always considered the Middle East as“the graveyard of empires.”

While hostilities have subsided for now, there remains a grim possibility that the Israel-Iran ceasefire could break down and the US will once again face pressure to come to Israel's defense. If China were to aid Iran, as it has Pakistan, with aircraft, missiles, and battle management technologies, that would mark a troubling escalation.

But now, Beijing remains cautious about wielding its military power abroad. Still, China will likely reap geopolitical benefits if the US continues to be on an adversarial footing with Iran.

The Chinese government condemned the American strike on Iran, saying ,“The actions of the US seriously violate the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and international law, and have exacerbated tensions in the Middle East.”

An editorial published on June 22 in the Chinese newspaper Global Times asserts that Washington's resort to force amounts to“adding fuel to the fire of war and pushing the Iran-Israel conflict to a more uncontrollable situation.”

MENAFN25062025000159011032ID1109719892


Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.

Search