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Ever since the United States and Israel began the war on Iran, China has frequently expressed outrage against them. But when it comes to Iranian reprisals on Arab neighbors, China has been forced to strike a much meeker tone.

Since Iranian missiles have struck ports, energy infrastructure, and U.S. assets across the Arab world, Chinese officials have responded by simply stating that Gulf nations’ territorial integrity should be respected—without clarifying by whom—and praised the Gulf Cooperation Council Ministerial Council’s desire for peace while calling for all sides to deconflict.

Ever since the United States and Israel began the war on Iran, China has frequently expressed outrage against them. But when it comes to Iranian reprisals on Arab neighbors, China has been forced to strike a much meeker tone.

Since Iranian missiles have struck ports, energy infrastructure, and U.S. assets across the Arab world, Chinese officials have responded by simply stating that Gulf nations’ territorial integrity should be respected—without clarifying by whom—and praised the Gulf Cooperation Council Ministerial Council’s desire for peace while calling for all sides to deconflict.

The uncomfortable truth for Tehran is that despite being Iran’s most important partner in trade, diplomacy, and security, China has spent the past two decades investing in far deeper relationships with Iran’s Arab adversaries in the region.

Iran’s recent apologies to neighboring Arab states will therefore be welcomed with relief in Beijing, and for all we know could well have been encouraged by China’s special envoy or more senior figures. But the situation remains fragile and unresolved, as a strongly worded statement of condemnation from Saudi Arabia made clear on March 9.

China’s public statements on this war so far are thus an easy approach that will frustrate........

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