China aims to show global leadership with Iran war diplomacy. US appears uninterested

WASHINGTON– China is stepping up its diplomacy on the Iran war, presenting a five-point proposal with Pakistan, rallying support from Gulf countries and opposing a United Nations proposal to use any force necessary to open the Strait of Hormuz.

It is China’s latest attempt to play a greater role in world affairs, although it could prove more rhetorical than substantive with the United States appearing uninterested in Beijing’s efforts.

“The war with Iran is the priority of all countries in the region and outside,” said Sun Yun, director of the China program at the Stimson Center, a Washington-based think tank. “This is an opportunity that China will not miss to demonstrate its leadership and diplomatic initiative.”

Danny Russell, a former senior US diplomat, called China’s diplomacy “performative” and compared the five-point proposal to end the war in Iran with its 12-point plan for Ukraine in 2023, which was “filled with platitudes but was never implemented.”

“His narrative is that while Washington is reckless, aggressive and indifferent to the cost to others, China is a responsible and principled champion of peace,” said Russell, a distinguished fellow at the Asia Society Policy Institute. “What we are seeing from China is messages, not mediation. »

China has been working “tirelessly for peace” since the start of the war, said Liu Pengyu, a spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Washington.

The Trump administration appears unenthusiastic about the idea of ​​Chinese mediation, according to U.S. officials.

The United States has been embittered by third-party mediation efforts and has little interest in boosting China’s international stature or giving it an opening to claim success in the Middle East, said three U.S. officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss potential diplomatic options.

One of the officials called the administration’s stance on China-Pakistan efforts “agnostic,” neither an endorsement nor a rejection, but all three stressed that could change if President Donald Trump speaks out before his planned summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

For Beijing, there could be an incentive to see the war ease before Trump visits China in mid-May. Citing the demands of war, Trump postponed the trip originally planned for late March.

“There is no guarantee that Trump will not delay his trip to China again if war rages,” Sun said.

The war saw a major escalation on Friday when Iran shot down two US military planes, a first since the war began five weeks ago. Trump told NBC News it would not impact negotiations with Iran, just days after declaring in a national address that the United States had “defeated and completely decimated Iran.”

For now, China is better insulated from disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz than other countries, having diversified its energy sources and reduced its dependence on fossil fuels.

China relies on Iran for only about 13% of its oil imports, and Beijing is working with Tehran to allow passage of Chinese-flagged ships through this critical waterway, where Iran’s control has caused energy prices to skyrocket. China also has significant strategic oil reserves.

While China has positioned itself to cushion short-term shocks, analysts say Beijing is worried about a protracted war and has an interest in ending it.

“An escalation of the conflict would begin to harm Chinese interests,” Russell said. “Since China’s growth model is very export-driven, prolonged energy shocks and shipping disruptions will lead to more expensive inputs and weaker global demand that will harm its vulnerable economy. »

Besides not wanting to see a long war, China “welcomes the opportunity to suggest that it is helping to alleviate an American-made crisis, especially as the Trump administration’s lack of a thoughtful strategy to contain the fallout becomes more evident,” said Ali Wyne, senior research and advocacy adviser on U.S.-China relations at the International Crisis Group.

After the war began, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi spoke with his counterparts from Russia, Oman, Iran, France, Israel, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. He told Iran that China cherishes its friendship, urged Israel to stop its military actions and expressed that China would be willing to play a role in seeking peace.

Last week, Wang received his Pakistani counterpart in Beijing to discuss his five-point proposal, calling for an end to hostilities and the reopening of the strait.

He had more than 20 phone calls with regional foreign ministers, and a special envoy visited several countries in the region, aiming to promote peace and ease tensions, Liu said.

Wang sought support for the Chinese plan from European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, telling her it represented “broad international consensus,” China’s Foreign Ministry said. Wang told Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan that stopping the fighting was the most urgent issue.

Wang also spoke this week with Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani to explain why China opposed Bahrain’s UN proposal to allow military force to open the Strait of Hormuz. Wang said the U.N. Security Council’s actions should help ease tensions “rather than approving illegal acts of war, let alone adding fuel to the fire.”

China and Russia have argued that the United States or other countries could exploit a U.N.-backed mechanism to escalate the deadly war, according to a U.N. diplomat, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss diplomatic conversations.

Both countries appear to have a less immediate need to see the strait fully opened. While China has been able to pay to get some of its ships through, Russia is benefiting from the high price of oil, its main export.

Hoping to avoid a veto, Bahrain significantly watered down its proposal to allow defensive – but not offensive – actions to ensure ships can pass through the strait safely. The vote was postponed until next week.

To resolve the strait issue, China says a ceasefire is necessary. But his project with Pakistan was met with silence from the United States.

One of the U.S. officials said the plan was difficult to assess because it was less of a road map to peace than a vague call for respect for international law and the importance of diplomacy and the role of the United Nations.

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Amiri reported from the United Nations.