China Responds Cautiously to U.S.-Israeli Strikes on Iran

China has responded cautiously to the recent U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran, condemning the attacks while avoiding direct military intervention. Foreign Minister Wang Yi described the strikes as 'unacceptable' and urged an immediate ceasefire, aligning with China's long-standing opposition to foreign intervention in regional conflicts.

Wang Yi emphasized that force cannot truly solve problems and called for all parties to return to the negotiating table. He also offered a positive signal that an expected meeting between President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping might still go ahead at the end of March 2026, despite the ongoing tensions.

The Chinese government has expressed concern over the potential disruption of energy supplies from Iran, which is a key oil supplier for China. According to reports, China imports approximately 70% of its oil and gas overall, with a significant portion coming from the Persian Gulf. After U.S. sanctions were reimposed on Tehran, Iran has sold up to 80% of its oil to China.

Analysts suggest that China is unlikely to provide military support to Iran, focusing instead on maintaining stable diplomatic and economic relations with the United States. Beijing views Iran as a strategic partner rather than a military ally and also values its relationship with other Gulf states, making direct military support beyond rhetoric highly unlikely.

Explosions in Tehran and Beirut have raised global concerns about prolonged disruption of energy supplies. Financial markets around the world tumbled at the prospect of such disruptions. China has urged nationals in Iran to evacuate and warned citizens in Israel to strengthen their precautions. Beijing joined Moscow in requesting an emergency United Nations Security Council session on Feb. 28, 2026.

President Donald Trump ordered U.S. forces to join Israel's attack on Iran because he believed Iran was about to strike the United States. The U.S.-Israeli strikes have killed at least 787 people, according to the Iranian Red Crescent Society. U.S. embassies across the Middle East are urging Americans to leave immediately due to escalating violence.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is the first European leader to visit Washington after the U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran. Merz expressed no criticism of the U.S. airstrikes but did not endorse them either, according to reports.

With less than three weeks until a high-stakes summit in Beijing, the U.S. has launched sweeping trade investigations targeting China under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974. These probes aim to identify unfair trade practices and structural excess capacity in manufacturing sectors. Analysts note that this move is likely an attempt by Trump to strengthen his negotiating position ahead of the summit, despite criticism from global trading partners.

The investigations follow a U.S. Supreme Court decision last month that struck down Trump's 'reciprocal' tariffs, limiting his ability to deploy tariffs at will. This has given China a boost in leverage ahead of the summit. The trade probes add fresh uncertainty to an already-complicated diplomatic backdrop and fragile trade truce between the world's top two economies.

Analysts suggest that both sides are likely seeking limited breakthroughs, with commercial purchases such as soybeans expected to be on the table rather than any grand bargain. The meeting is anticipated to frame the opening of a longer conversation set to unfold across the rest of 2026.