In brief
Summary: Following the U.S. military strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, China has condemned the actions, claiming they undermine U.S. credibility in international negotiations. As Beijing positions itself as a champion of peace, experts note the complexities of its backing for Iran amid fears of regional conflict escalation.
In a significant development on June 23, 2025, China’s permanent representative to the United Nations, Fu Cong, criticized the United States for compromising its international reputation with recent military actions against Iran. Addressing this issue, Fu asserted that while Iran was adversely affected by the strikes, the integrity and credibility of the U.S. as a negotiating partner had also been damaged.China has positioned itself in stark opposition to U.S. policies, portraying the latter as a destabilizing force in global politics, contrasting this with its self-image as a responsible and peace-promoting entity. Following emergency discussions at the U.N. Security Council, Fu announced that China, along with Russia and Pakistan, was in the process of formulating a resolution advocating for a cease-fire and the initiation of peace talks in the region.State media echoed this sentiment, with reports condemning the U.S. actions as exacerbating tensions in the Middle East. According to the Xinhua news agency, the recent military intervention highlighted the futility of power politics and military involvement, leading solely to chaos and instability. In its editorial output, the Global Times emphasized that U.S. strikes have significantly undermined the existing international security framework.Amid these developments, discussions on social media within China have revealed strong public sentiment against the perceived deceit in U.S.-Iran negotiations, with users lamenting Iran's miscalculations that led to increased hostility from the U.S.While China vocally supports Iran, its diplomatic calculations suggest a complex web of interests. China’s economic investments in Iran, including substantial oil purchases, have helped sustain the Iranian regime. The situation presents a delicate balance as tensions rise, with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio urging China to influence Tehran against closing the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil transit route.Experts believe that although China would oppose any closure of the strait, its approach would be tactful and calculated, focusing on its strategic interests in the region. Wang Yiwei, an expert from Renmin University, indicated that China is unlikely to publicly align with U.S. interests, suggesting it would prefer to navigate this issue independently.On inquiries about potential repercussions if Iran closed the strait, a spokesman for China’s Foreign Ministry sidestepped direct engagement, instead advocating for a collaborative effort to calm escalating tensions. Through these statements and actions, China continues to navigate the highly volatile landscape of Middle Eastern geopolitics while reinforcing its role as a counterbalance to U.S. dominance in the region.
