Why Beijing 鈥� a self-proclaimed friend of Tehran 鈥� has stayed quiet on the war front
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Ann Scott Tyson Staff writer
| Beijing
Early this week, in a little-noticed development in the Iran war, the first confirmed Chinese-owned container ship skirted Iranian-laid naval mines and sailed out of the Strait of Hormuz.
The Newvoyager, a medium-sized cargo ship, slipped down a narrow channel past the red sands of Larak Island soon after sunrise on Sunday. It emerged safely hours later in the Arabian Sea, broadcasting the message 鈥淎LL CREW CHINA,鈥� according to Lloyd鈥檚 List Intelligence, a U.K. ship tracking and maritime data firm. A Chinese company paid Iranian authorities for the vessel鈥檚 safe passage, it said.
Like the slow but steady ship, China is prioritizing its longstanding economic interests in Iran, while adopting a deliberately neutral stance on the conflict itself.聽
Why We Wrote This
China has long been an economic lifeline for Iran. But Beijing鈥檚 muted response to the war reveals a degree of disillusionment with its Middle East partner 鈥� highlighting China鈥檚 pragmatic, self-interested approach to foreign relations.
Indeed, Beijing鈥檚 hands-off posture illustrates its pragmatic, flexible approach to foreign policy, designed to diversify its partnerships and maximize its opportunities globally, while avoiding binding commitments.聽
Even as China and Iran have deepened economic, security, and technological cooperation, including through a 25-year strategic partnership agreement signed in 2021, Beijing has avoided formal defense commitments to Iran. Its muted response to the war shows the limits of the relationship, which, together with Russia and North Korea, is described by experts in Washington as an authoritarian, anti-Western 鈥渁xis of upheaval.鈥�
鈥淐hina will continue to maintain an objective and impartial stance,鈥� Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, in a phone call on Tuesday.
Iran鈥檚 lifeline
In the Middle East, Beijing鈥檚 goal with this neutrality is to preserve its strong commercial relationships with Arab countries 鈥撀爄ncluding Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates 鈥� while also leveraging its influence as Iran鈥檚 top trading partner to help safeguard its access to crude oil. This approach is expected to continue, regardless of who runs the government in Tehran, experts say.
鈥淐hina is deeply concerned about the continued escalation and spillovers, which have dealt a blow to regional and international peace and stability,鈥� Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told a press conference on Tuesday. 鈥淲e call on relevant parties to end hostilities immediately.鈥�
Beijing has voiced its displeasure with Iran鈥檚 attacks on Gulf countries, and has generally grown disappointed with Iran as a regional power. 鈥淐hina has been disillusioned about Iran 鈥� both Iran鈥檚 capability as well as Iran鈥檚 strategic resolve,鈥� says Yun Sun, senior fellow and director of the China Program at the Stimson Center in Washington. 鈥淐hina is not going to come to their rescue.鈥�
China has long served as a lifeline for Iran, helping Tehran evade U.S. sanctions by importing about 90% of Iranian oil exports. This made up about 13% of China鈥檚 total crude oil imports at the end of 2025.
This week鈥檚 Chinese ship transit allowed Iranian officials to claim they鈥檝e at least partially opened the strait 鈥� one of the world鈥檚 most important oil chokepoints, which before the war channeled about 20 million barrels of crude oil a day, or 20% of global oil consumption.
鈥淭he Strait of Hormuz is open to everyone, and ships can pass through safely. But countries currently at war are not under consideration,鈥� Mr. Araghchi told Mr. Wang in their Tuesday call, according to a Chinese Foreign Ministry statement.聽
Restraint amid turmoil
For its part, Beijing is also seizing upon the Iran war to advance its narrative that China is the more stable, peaceful, and responsible world power 鈥� in contrast to the United States.
鈥淭he U.S. does not provide security to the Middle East anymore,鈥� but instead has inflicted 鈥渉uge disruption,鈥� said Henry Huiyao Wang, founder and president of the Center for China and Globalization, a Beijing think tank, in a televised interview with CNBC.聽
鈥淐hina鈥檚 influence and impact is growing daily given this war, [while] the image of the U.S. has been really damaged,鈥� he said.
Indeed, China can reap benefits simply by showing restraint and calm amid the turmoil, argues Zhou Bo, a researcher at the Center for International Security and Strategy聽at Tsinghua University in Beijing.
鈥淩eportedly, dozens of ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz have updated their destination signals to indicate they are registered in China or have ties to China,鈥� wrote the retired senior army colonel in Guancha.cn, a Chinese news and commentary website. 鈥淭his is an unintentional advertisement for Beijing: security is linked to China, and chaos is linked to the United States.鈥�
