China Won't Pressure Iran Ahead of Trump-Xi Summit
China's stance on Iran ahead of the upcoming US-China summit is unlikely to change, despite Beijing's close ties with Tehran. According to Elizabeth Freund Larus, an adjunct senior fellow at the Pacific Forum think tank, China benefits geopolitically from the conflict's toll on US military resources.
The Strait of Hormuz, a waterway that before the US-Iran war was the route for about one-fifth of the global oil and gas supply, has been a point of contention between Washington and Tehran. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi urged 'all parties' to take measures to swiftly 'reopen' the strait during his meeting with Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi in Beijing on September 16.
However, Wang stopped short of directly pressuring Iran, instead reiterating China's commitment to strengthening dialogue and cooperation with Tehran. This approach is consistent with China's asymmetric relationship with Iran, which favors Beijing due to its significant trade influence over the country.