China’s Stance: Watching as US and Iran Clash—The Economist

The battle against Iran was meant to showcase US power, but conversely, it might empower China.

As the United States wages war against Iran, China is purposefully remaining aloof. Beijing views Washington's moves as a strategic blunder that shouldn’t be meddled with.

This is highlighted in an article by The Economist publication, which examines how China intends to leverage the war to its advantage.

At the commencement of the conflict with Iran, it was anticipated that it would alter the power dynamic in the Middle East, weaken the Ayatollah’s government, and hinder Tehran’s atomic ambitions.

Some analysts also posited that the war would affect the international order, limiting China’s progress. Specifically, it could reveal Beijing’s reliance on oil supplies managed by Washington, as well as reinforce the deterrent effect by displaying US dominance and China’s restricted capability to aid its allies.

Nevertheless, merely a month into the hostilities, this assessment appears incorrect and overconfident, the article points out. This is how the situation is understood in Beijing.

Notably, virtually all of the publication's interviewees — diplomats, along with current and former Chinese officials — deem this war a severe misjudgment by the United States.

As they clarify, China is intentionally refraining from involvement in the conflict, adhering to the principle attributed to Napoleon Bonaparte — “Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake.”

China's pronouncements concerning the war in Iran — recent updates

In late March, China's Foreign Ministry urged the parties involved in the Middle East conflict to de-escalate and initiate genuine peace negotiations. Ministry spokesman Lin Jian emphasized that prolonging the war benefits neither the United States nor Iran, as it solely increases the number of casualties and worsens the situation. Beijing backs efforts to reduce tensions and stands ready to assume a beneficial role in achieving peace.

On April 2, China advocated for an immediate cessation of hostilities and military actions in Iran, responding to threats by US President Donald Trump to initiate additional strikes. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning stressed that military approaches won’t resolve the issue, and escalation will only be detrimental to all sides.

She also observed that the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz was triggered by “unlawful actions” and called for preventing assaults on the global economy and energy security.