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Trump Seeks China’s Help to End Iran War as Beijing Weighs Its Own Interests
President Trump is expected to ask President Xi Jinping for help resolving the war in Iran during their Beijing summit. While the U.S. hopes China's role as a major oil buyer will pressure Tehran, analysts say Beijing enjoys the strategic advantage of the U.S. being distracted from the Indo-Pacific. With the risk of a global economic crisis if the U.S. sanctions Chinese banks, both leaders face a high-stakes standoff. As oil prices remain high and the ceasefire remains shaky, the outcome of these talks will define the next phase of the conflict.
In the summit this week, Donald Trump is expected to seek aid from Chinese President Xi Jinping in ending the war with Iran. Washington views Beijing as a key player because China has influence over Tehran, however analysts believe that Beijing will not give away its most important Middle Eastern ally.
Key Highlights
- President Trump has urged China to leverage its role as the largest importer of Iranian oil to pursue a peace agreement.
- The reason China is reluctant at this point to do anything, even if it wanted to since the war draws U.S. military attention from the Indo-Pacific region.
- While the U.S. has threatened to penalize large Chinese banks, that could lead to a worldwide economic meltdown.
- With China still offering economic and military aid to Iran, tensions remain at boiling point.
Trump Looking Out to Seek Help From China over Iran War
President Trump and President Xi Jinping will be discussing the continued war in Iran. Global oil prices have surged above 90 dollars, the war remains on a knife edge despite a ceasefire agreement in recent days. U.S. officials say China is an exception among major nations because it’s the largest buyer of Iranian oil and so has the leverage with leaders in Tehran to seal a deal. But hopes for a speedy recovery are weakening as each leader trudges through a maze of economic and military objectives.
Competing Interests: Why and How
China faces tough calls in the Middle East. For one thing, it still wants the Strait of Hormuz to be open because a lot of its oil goes through there. And Iran, for its part, is a strategic ally that allows China to push back against U.S. absorption. Additionally, the conflict in Iran has diverted both U.S. military means and diplomatic attention away from China’s in the Indo-Pacific. Commenting on the talks, analysts say President Xi is approaching these negotiations with “sky-high confidence” in light of the U.S.’s current preoccupation focused solely on the conflict.
Analyst and Expert Take
The Trump administration has looked at the option of forcing Beijing’s hand by sanctions against China’s biggest banks as an alternative to war, but experts have warned this could cause more havoc than the war itself. Banning a huge Chinese state bank may bring back a trade war and trigger hyperinflation in the U.S. Further, China might respond by suspending exports of key rare earth minerals crucial to U.S. industries. Former diplomats point out that China avoids getting stuck into the “political quicksand” of Middle Eastern entanglements.
FAQs
- What does Trump want from China with Iran?
As the largest purchaser of Iranian oil, China holds unique economic leverage to push Tehran into a peace deal.
- What are dual-use goods?
That includes items that could be used in normal manufacturing but are also capable of military uses, which China continues to sell to Iran.
- Will the U.S. impose sanctions on Chinese banks?
Yes, but experts say that could trigger a worldwide financial collapse and inspire retaliatory trade
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