“The US move seriously violates the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and international law and exacerbates tensions in the Middle East,” it said. “China calls on all parties to the conflict, especially Israel, to cease fire as soon as possible.”
On Monday, the state-run Global Times added to the criticism, saying the US’s use of bunker-buster bombs would push “the Iran-Israel conflict closer toward an uncontrollable state.”President Donald Trump said American bombers struck Iran’s three main nuclear sites and threatened more attacks if Tehran doesn’t capitulate, pulling the US directly into the country’s conflict with Israel despite his longtime promises to avoid new wars.
Beijing hasn’t yet offered substantial assistance to Tehran besides rhetorical support. President Xi Jinping last week outlined a four-point proposal for the Iran-Israel war in a call with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called on China to speak to leaders in Iran about not closing the Strait of Hormuz — the waterway at the entrance to the Persian Gulf where about a fifth of the world’s crude output passes through.
“I encourage the Chinese government in Beijing to call them about that because they heavily depend on the Straits of Hormuz for their oil,” he told Fox News.
China is the nation most dependent on oil passing through the strait, where a third of its crude transits. Tehran could seek to retaliate for the US attack by trying to close the chokepoint. Iran’s parliament has called for closing the waterway, according to Iranian state-run TV — a move that would need the explicit approval of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to proceed.
Iran has vowed not to back down, with its foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, saying the country “reserves all options to defend its sovereignty, interest, and people” and warning America’s move “will have everlasting consequences.”
While China buys some 90% of Iran’s oil exports in defiance of US restrictions, the risks of secondary sanctions and the official stance against nuclear proliferation have prevented Beijing from intervening.
Some analysts have suggested that a distracted Washington might be good news for Beijing.
“If this results in a prolonged US engagement in the Middle East, it would also mean less concentration on Beijing’s immediate neighborhood, both militarily and diplomatically,” said William Yang, senior analyst for North East Asia at International Crisis Group.
