BEIJING: Although China has voiced its ire over Israeli-US assaults on Iran, observers say the country will not jeopardize its interests by opposing Washington and supporting its longstanding ally, even if it means reducing its oil imports.
With commerce in the crucial Strait of Hormuz shut, the Middle East conflict has raised concerns about a shortage of energy. While continuing its missile and drone assaults around the Gulf, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards declared on Wednesday that they had “complete control” of the waterway.
A number of significant Asian economies rely on the narrow strait for energy, including China, which is a net importer of oil. Strategic stockpiling, according to experts, will enable Beijing to withstand temporary setbacks and pursue other diplomatic objectives.
The White House says that President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Donald Trump will start their high-stakes encounter in China on March 31. Unless the United States initiates a broad crackdown on Iran-China (oil) flows, the Iran crisis is unlikely to derail the Trump-Xi summit,” Dan Wang, China Director at the Eurasia Group, told AFP. Wang stated that Beijing does not see Iran as a military ally but rather as a strategic partner.
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