Why Has China Not Actively Supported Its Ally Iran?

SadaNews - The Wall Street Journal questioned why China was content with merely condemning the U.S.-Israeli military attack on Iran without taking practical steps to support it, despite the numerous risks this war poses to Beijing, as it could lead to a significant disruption of its oil imports that pass through the Strait of Hormuz. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi stated that the U.S. and Israel's attacks on Iran during negotiations were "unacceptable," adding that the "assassination of a leader of a sovereign state and incitement to regime change is entirely unacceptable," referring to the assassination of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on the first day of the war. The newspaper commented on this stance, stating that China does not have much to offer Iran besides statements, quoting analysts who said that Beijing will likely seek to avoid involvement in a long-term conflict in the Middle East and is prepared to work with any entity that governs Iran after the fighting stops. The paper noted that Beijing adopted the same approach with its close partner Venezuela when U.S. forces arrested President Nicolas Maduro earlier this year. This may also foreshadow China's position should Washington take action against Cuba, which has a "strong friendship" with Beijing. The newspaper predicted that the U.S. undermining China's relations with its partners would jeopardize Beijing's efforts to build alliances with similarly inclined countries and promote ambitious international initiatives that would challenge the Western-led global order. Positive Aspects Despite this, the newspaper believes that the war on Iran could have some positive aspects for Chinese decision-makers as it strains U.S. military capabilities, especially the weapons that could be used in any conflict with China over Taiwan. Additionally, this war could reveal to China the latest U.S. military equipment and tactics, while also providing China with an opportunity to portray the United States as causing a "return of the world to the law of the jungle." Interests in the Gulf On another note, the Wall Street Journal justified Beijing's hesitation by stating that China's investments in Saudi Arabia and the UAE far exceed its investments in Iran. Therefore, if China were to assist Iran in attacking its neighbors, it could harm Beijing's relations with these vital countries. The newspaper reminded that the relationship between Tehran and Beijing is deep, as the two parties signed an economic cooperation agreement in 2021, which stipulates that China will invest $400 billion in Iran over 25 years. However, the activation of this agreement has been slow due to U.S. sanctions on Iran. The two countries have employed a complex system to disguise oil exports from Iran to China, transferring oil from one ship to another to hide the presence of Iranian oil in China. China purchases nearly 90% of Iranian oil exports, although this percentage represents only 12% of China's total oil imports. China has taken several steps to protect itself from any sudden disruption in energy imports, building a strategic national oil reserve and encouraging the use of electric vehicles and other technologies to reduce its reliance on oil consumption. Source: The Wall Street Journal