China is stepping up its rhetoric after a month and a half of conflict. President Xi Jinping reacted to developments in the Middle East war on Tuesday, April 14, during a meeting with Abu Dhabi’s crown prince, Khaled bin Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. “Preserving the authority of international law should not mean using it when it suits us and rejecting it when it doesn’t,” the leader criticized, two days after Donald Trump announced the naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, while Iran claimed on Friday to have “completely opened” it for the rest of the ceasefire.
On the first day of the war, Chinese diplomacy quickly denounced the initial Israeli-American strikes against Tehran, condemning it as “a violation of international law.” The death of the Iranian supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, “constitutes a serious violation of Iran’s sovereignty and security,” it added, calling for respect for the “fundamental norms governing international relations.”
By defending “the sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity of all countries in the Gulf,” Beijing shows a “cautious” support for its Iranian partner, according to Marc Julienne, director of the Asia Center at Ifri.
“Taking a firm stance in favor of Tehran potentially alienates other partners: the Gulf countries” affected by Iranian reprisals. China also does not want to worsen its relations with the United States amid a ‘warming’ [of relations] between Xi Jinping and Donald Trump.
In the conflict between Washington and Tel Aviv in Tehran, China presented a five-point plan with the help of Pakistan to “restore peace and stability” in the Middle East. The initiative, presented in late March, urged the belligerents to immediately cease hostilities, initiate peace negotiations, and ensure, among other things, the security of civilian infrastructure.
Following the failed negotiations between Iran and the United States in Pakistan, Xi Jinping promised on Tuesday that his country would “continue to play a constructive role” in resuming talks.
“There is a lack of experience for China in crisis mediation,” said Marc Julienne. “For me, Pakistan is a leader in these negotiations.”
This mediator image is also explained by China’s significant and diverse economic interests in the Middle East, from Iran to the Gulf countries. “It has good relations with each party,” noted Marc Julienne.
“In this context, the naval blockade of the strategic zone described by Donald Trump did not sit well with its major rival. This time, the statements have hardened, with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson denouncing “dangerous and irresponsible behavior” during a press briefing.
China is “experiencing this situation,” observes Marc Julienne, with consequences on the domestic front, as “oil prices have risen.”
It was also part of the countries participating in the conference organized on Friday by France and the United Kingdom to restore free movement in the zone.
If China can see ahead, the United States appear determined not to let it act behind the scenes. Sources close to intelligence services told CNN that Beijing intends to sell weapons to Iran to fight American and Israeli troops.
In an interview on Fox Business, Donald Trump claimed on Wednesday that he wrote to Xi Jinping to demand that he does not go in that direction. In response, his counterpart assured him that “this is not what he is doing,” reported the billionaire. Two days later, Guo Jiakun rejected as “unfounded slanders” and “malicious accusations.”
Marc Julienne remains “very cautious” in the face of what would constitute a “very significant change” on the part of China.
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