Category: Foreign Policy

China and the Iran War: The Logic and Limitations of China’s Middle East Diplomacy

Immediately after the U.S. and Israeli bombardment campaign against Iran began, some have claimed that the war was “all about China.” Others have been more cautious, arguing it shows the limits of China’s relationship with Iran and its regional diplomacy. Jonathan Fulton rightly points out that the ...

Analysis from Cobus van Staden

Three New Polls Show China is Edging Past the U.S. as the World’s Partner

Worry about the Trump administration’s decision-making is leading the public around the world to see China as an increasingly attractive counter-option. This is the main takeaway from three large public opinion polls released recently.
The annual Gallup poll of 130 countries is the largest of the three. They also include new Arab Barometer polling of countries in the Middle East, and an annual ISEAS Yusof Ishak Institute poll of Southeast Asia.

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China’s Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Removed

Sun Weidong, one of China’s top foreign policy officials and a seasoned Asia-focused diplomat, has been removed from his post. An announcement by China’s Ministry of Human Resources, citing the State Council, was released on Tuesday. It said Sun won’t continue in his post as vice foreign minister, ...

A 2015 Speech for a 2026 Crisis

Former U.S. ambassador to China, Nicholas Burns, on Saturday delivered the opening address at the Harvard College China Forum, where he presented the case for deeper engagement between the two major powers. The speech would have been great if it were ...

China Is on China’s Side…but Whose Side Is That Exactly?

By Lukas Fiala China is on China’s side. That was the verdict of a GCC China expert cited in Jonathan Fulton’s excellent China-MENA newsletter this week. Despite Beijing’s veto of Bahrain’s UNSC proposal and reports of Chinese shipments of ...

China’s Foreign Minister to Visit North Korea to Bolster Loosened Ties

China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi will visit North Korea this week, his ministry said on Wednesday, signalling efforts by the East Asian neighbours to revitalise ties that chilled after the COVID‑19 pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Wang's last publicly ...

Vietnam’s Top Leader to Lam Consolidates Power, Gets China-Style Mandate

By Khanh Vu, Phuong Nguyen, and Francesco Guarascio Vietnam's lawmakers unanimously elected Communist Party Secretary General To Lam as the country's state president for the next five years, a parliament official said after Tuesday's vote. ...

China’s Foreign Policy Faces a Dual Test as It Challenges U.S. Power and Manages Turbulence at Home

By Lukas Fiala Earlier this week, I was asked to reflect on the main drivers of Chinese foreign policy in the coming months and into next year, in the context of the ongoing Russian war in Ukraine.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s UAE Meeting Underscores Beijing’s Priorities in the Gulf

China’s top diplomat Wang Yi met on Wednesday with the UAE president’s special envoy to China, in a move that highlights a critical, but often overlooked, reality: Beijing’s Middle East strategy is less about siding with Iran than it is about managing relationships with its important Gulf ...

Vietnam’s Communist Party Chief Meets With China’s Three Ministers Following 3+3 Dialogue

Tô Lâm, the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, met with China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Defence Minister Dong Jun, and Minister of Public Security Wang Xiaohong in Hanoi on Tuesday. This follows China and Vietnam's first ...

Israeli Experts Converge: China Can’t Afford to Back Iran

By Amanda Chen One week into the war triggered by the American-Israeli joint offensive on Iran launched on Saturday, February 28, Tehran’s retaliation has already expanded from targeting U.S. military assets to striking Gulf energy and civilian infrastructure. On March 7, ...

China Opposes Targeting of Iran’s New Supreme Leader

China has pushed back against threats directed at Iran’s newly appointed supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, signaling Beijing’s support for Tehran’s sovereignty as tensions remain high following the killing of his father, former leader Ali Khamenei, in U.S.–Israeli strikes. Chinese officials said Iran’s ...

China’s Wang Yi Criticizes U.S. and Defends Multilateral Order at Annual Press Briefing

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi forcefully denounced the U.S. and Israeli war against Iran, saying the conflict “should never have happened.” Wang restated Beijing's call for a ceasefire and renewed his offer to help mediate an end to the conflict. Wang, ...

China Evacuates 3,000 Nationals From Iran as Beijing Condemns U.S. and Israeli Strikes as Violation of International Law

At least 3,000 Chinese nationals have been evacuated from Iran over the past 72 hours, according to Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning. The exodus follows calls for Chinese nationals across the Persian Gulf and the Mideast to leave, if possible, or shelter in place if not. ...
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