Attack on Iran Could Buoy Trump in Talks With China’s Xi

U.S. President Donald Trump with Chinese President Xi Jinping walk as they leave after a bilateral meeting at Gimhae International Airport, on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, in Busan, South Korea, October 30, 2025. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein
U.S. President Donald Trump with Chinese President Xi Jinping walk as they leave after a bilateral meeting at Gimhae International Airport, on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, in Busan, South Korea, October 30, 2025. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein

By Michael Martina, Mei Mei Chu and Trevor Hunnicutt

The U.S. military campaign against Iran has put Chinese leader Xi Jinping on the back foot ahead of an expected summit with U.S. President Donald Trump, who for the second time in as many months has turned America’s military against one of Beijing’s close partners.

  • Get a daily email packed with the latest news and analysis from Africa, Asia, and across the Global South.
  • Read exclusive insights on the key trends shaping China’s relations across the Global South.
  • Full access to the News Feed that provides daily updates on Chinese engagement in the Global South.

China, Africa and the Global South... find out what’s happening.

Subscribe today for unlimited access.

OR

Already a subscriber? Log in Click Here to Learn More
by Reuters

Most Read

1
Developing Countries’ Debt Servicing Costs to China Are Significant, but Nowhere Near as Much as Other Creditors
2
Uncertainty Roils Minerals Markets
3 Chinese Scholars See Russia’s Venezuela Strategy as a Model of Hybrid Power Projection in the U.S.’ Backyard
4 From J-10C to Kaan? Indonesia’s Fighter Jet Deal With Turkey Shocks Chinese Military Fans
5 Chinese Military Fans Discuss Why Indonesia Bought Rafale Instead of J-10C
6 India Forced to Pay Russia in Yuan, Handing China an Unexpected Win

You Might Like

Why Would Uganda Write a Letter to Support China’s Position in Hong Kong?

The Ugandan government last week seemingly felt it necessary, very likely at the strong urging of the Chinese government, to draft a letter that reaffirms Beijing’s sovereignty over Hong Kong and the importance ...

Pentagon Emerges as Leading U.S. Government Voice on China-Africa Relations

The Pentagon, specifically its Africa Command, or AFRICOM, has become the U.S. government agency that most consistently speaks out on China-Africa issues. As a whole, the Trump administration doesn’t seem very interested in ...

Why the U.S. Should Be Worried About South Africa’s Increasingly Close Ties With China

On its own, South African Deputy President David Mabuza’s week-long trip to Beijing, which starts today, will probably not generate a lot of headlines. But his arrival in the Chinese capital caps a ...

With Chinese and Russian Warships Heading to South Africa, Pretoria Sends a Powerful Message to the U.S. 

If U.S. officials haven’t received the message yet that Pretoria is increasingly aligning its foreign policy with Washington’s two most formidable adversaries then the image of Chinese and Russian warships docked in Cape ...

What is The China-Global South Project?

Independent

The China-Global South Project is passionately independent, non-partisan and does not advocate for any country, company or culture.

News

A carefully curated selection of the day’s most important China-Global South stories. Updated 24 hours a day by human editors. No bots, no algorithms.

Analysis

Diverse, often unconventional insights from scholars, analysts, journalists and a variety of stakeholders in the China-Global South discourse.

Networking

A unique professional network of China-Africa scholars, analysts, journalists and other practioners from around the world.

More about CGSP
Detected IP: 100.14.102.240