https://www.scmp.com/rss/515553/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com SCMP SCMP We have selected seven of the most interesting and important news stories covering global relations from the past few weeks. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Iran’s exiled prince Reza Pahlavi plans to flip the script on Beijing Allies of exiled Iranian royal Reza Pahlavi signalled a potential reset in Tehran’s ties with China and Russia, as the 65-year-old increasingly positioned himself as a central figure in Iran’s political future – a claim that... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348584/chinas-iran-war-strategy-trumps-hormuz-ask-7-global-relations-reads?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348584/chinas-iran-war-strategy-trumps-hormuz-ask-7-global-relations-reads?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Apr 2026 15:00:09 +0000 Haining Gao Haining Gao China and Pakistan unveiled a joint five-point plan on Tuesday to restore peace in the Persian Gulf after five weeks of US-Israeli bombardment of Iran. China, Pakistan five-point initiative for restoring peace in the Middle East by scmp https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348601/china-pakistan-five-point-plan-end-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348601/china-pakistan-five-point-plan-end-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 02:56:41 +0000 Kun Tian Kun Tian When InvestHK’s director general Alpha Lau Hai-suen recently said that companies using Dubai as a hub had mostly shifted to Hong Kong after the outbreak of the Iran war, the instinct to leverage the city’s position as a safe haven for investment was understandable. Hong Kong should absolutely try to capture capital and talent unsettled by instability in the Gulf. However, it should resist the temptation to confuse a geopolitical opening with a strategic victory. Opportunity does not become a... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3347848/dubais-loss-could-be-hong-kongs-gain-only-if-city-ready?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3347848/dubais-loss-could-be-hong-kongs-gain-only-if-city-ready?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 01:30:08 +0000 Reuters Reuters Two Chinese container ships sailed through the Strait of Hormuz on Monday on their second attempt to leave the Gulf after turning back on Friday, ship-tracking data showed. The critical waterway has effectively been shut since the US-Israeli war with Iran began on February 28. The vessels ‌sailed in close formation out of the strait and into open waters, data on the MarineTraffic platform showed. “Both vessels successfully crossed on a second attempt today, marking the first container vessels to... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3348455/chinese-container-ships-pass-through-strait-hormuz-second-attempt-data-shows?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3348455/chinese-container-ships-pass-through-strait-hormuz-second-attempt-data-shows?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 19:27:59 +0000 Ji Siqi Ji Siqi The world is bracing for an aluminium supply shock after two major Middle Eastern smelters were damaged in Iranian attacks over the weekend, a disruption likely to push more production to China in the near term and potentially for years to come, analysts said. Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA), a leading regional producer, reported “significant damage” at its Abu Dhabi site following strikes by Iranian missiles and drones, while Aluminium Bahrain said it was assessing the extent of damage at its... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3348426/will-irans-strikes-gulf-smelters-strengthen-chinas-aluminium-trade?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3348426/will-irans-strikes-gulf-smelters-strengthen-chinas-aluminium-trade?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 15:00:12 +0000 Mia Nurmamat Mia Nurmamat China is urging companies to release their fertiliser reserves in time for the crucial spring planting season, as the US-Israel war on Iran strains supplies of key raw materials to the world’s largest grain producer. Beijing is also expected to keep export restrictions on some fertiliser ingredients in place beyond the spring, as it strives to ensure Chinese farmers retain uninterrupted access to vital agrichemicals at reasonable prices despite the Middle East conflict. Tehran’s effective... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3347964/china-rushes-stabilise-fertiliser-market-iran-war-chokes-imports?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3347964/china-rushes-stabilise-fertiliser-market-iran-war-chokes-imports?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 07:00:08 +0000 Mark Magnier Mark Magnier Beijing’s long-standing geopolitical playbook – stay in your lane, avoid military entanglement, prepare exhaustively and issue bland “win-win” statements about the UN charter and calls to talk not fight – could see China emerge favourably from the Iran war, said economists, analysts and former US officials, as the conflict enters its fourth week with little end in sight and the US barrelling ahead. “People always say that China doesn’t understand the Mideast,” said Jeremy Chan, senior analyst... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347827/why-chinas-strategy-stay-out-iran-war-working-and-crisis-may-spur-opportunity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347827/why-chinas-strategy-stay-out-iran-war-working-and-crisis-may-spur-opportunity?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 22:00:08 +0000 Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma China’s top diplomat, Wang Yi, encouraged his Iranian counterpart to pursue negotiations with the United States as conflict in the Middle East threatens to enter a second month. “Talking is better than fighting,” Wang told Abbas Araghchi by phone on Tuesday, according to the Chinese foreign ministry. “All parties should seize every opportunity to begin the peace process as soon as possible.” Confusion surrounds the status of peace talks, as Iran has derided a reported US 15-point ceasefire plan... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/world/middle-east/article/3347856/china-calls-us-iran-talks-war-upends-gulf-states-global-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/world/middle-east/article/3347856/china-calls-us-iran-talks-war-upends-gulf-states-global-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 09:00:16 +0000 Mia Nurmamat Mia Nurmamat The disruption to shipping traffic along the Strait of Hormuz is starting to bite in China, where some manufacturers are reducing production due to soaring energy, raw material and freight costs. Zhao, who runs a bicycle factory in Guangzhou serving clients in the United States, Middle East and Europe, has already put most export business on hold. “We also cancelled all orders from Iran,” he said. “The cost of aluminium, a key raw material for bicycle production, has risen by 30 per... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3347808/chinas-consumer-goods-factories-cut-output-iran-war-sends-costs-soaring?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3347808/chinas-consumer-goods-factories-cut-output-iran-war-sends-costs-soaring?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:23:59 +0000 Chenjie Song Chenjie Song Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s press conference at the annual “two sessions” on March 8 was the Chinese government’s most authoritative statement on the war on Iran since strikes began on February 28. Wang called the war one that “should not have happened” and offered five principles for resolution: respect for sovereignty, rejection of force, non-interference in internal affairs, political settlement and goodwill among major powers. Diplomatic language aside, Wang named no concrete enforcement... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3347043/when-it-comes-persian-gulf-chinas-top-priority-economics?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3347043/when-it-comes-persian-gulf-chinas-top-priority-economics?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 01:30:10 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang Potential US ground operations against Iran might constrain Tehran, but the prospects for reopening the Strait of Hormuz were “highly uncertain”, Chinese analysts said. They also cautioned that any such escalation was likely to result in heavy casualties, with one of them saying Iran “might even welcome” such close combat. US President Donald Trump on Monday announced a five-day halt to military strikes on Iranian power plants. He made the announcement on social media as the US’ 48-hour deadline... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347622/what-if-us-ground-forces-march-iran-chinese-experts-weigh-risks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347622/what-if-us-ground-forces-march-iran-chinese-experts-weigh-risks?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 15:00:14 +0000 Carol Yang Carol Yang Global concerns are rising over the fate of ships and crews trapped in the Strait of Hormuz amid the intensifying Middle East conflict, as reports spread that Iran is rolling out screening processes and steep transit fees for vessels using the waterway. The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) called for the establishment of a “safe maritime framework” to ensure the swift evacuation of merchant ships confined within the Persian Gulf, after holding a special session on the Middle East... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3347337/strait-hormuz-tensions-flare-iran-tightens-grip-over-shipping-traffic?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3347337/strait-hormuz-tensions-flare-iran-tightens-grip-over-shipping-traffic?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Mar 2026 11:00:24 +0000 Josephine Ma Josephine Ma William Klein worked for more than two decades as a US diplomat, including in several senior roles at the United States’ embassy in Beijing from 2016 to 2021. He worked at the American Institute in Taiwan and on the US State Department’s China desk in Washington, and occupied US diplomatic posts in South Asia, the Middle East and the former Soviet Union. He is based in the Berlin office of FGS Global, a consultancy with a focus on US-China and EU-China relationships. SCMP Plus readers get early... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347242/inside-look-trump-xi-summits-ex-diplomat-william-klein?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347242/inside-look-trump-xi-summits-ex-diplomat-william-klein?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Mar 2026 04:30:08 +0000 Alcott Wei,Seong Hyeon Choi Alcott Wei,Seong Hyeon Choi Iran’s power structure, succession mechanism and geographic conditions are all factors in its military resilience, despite the decapitation of its leadership by the US and Israel, according to Chinese experts. They also said the United States was unlikely to achieve regime change in Iran without deploying ground forces, a lesson one expert argued Beijing would take into account for any operation on Taiwan. Beginning on February 28, the US and Israel have killed a string of senior Iranian... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347070/chinese-experts-assess-military-decapitation-iran-venezuela-lessons-closer-home?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347070/chinese-experts-assess-military-decapitation-iran-venezuela-lessons-closer-home?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Mar 2026 13:37:24 +0000 Orange Wang Orange Wang Iran’s air strikes on the Gulf states have turned the spotlight onto China’s dilemma in trying to develop long-term relations with those nations but also with their arch-rival Iran. Strikes on all six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) members in retaliation for US and Israeli attacks on Iran have hit both American military assets stationed in those countries and civilian infrastructure, including oil refineries. As oil and gas producers, they are also bearing the brunt of the effective closure of... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346919/can-china-still-maintain-good-relations-gulf-states-and-iran-fighting-escalates?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346919/can-china-still-maintain-good-relations-gulf-states-and-iran-fighting-escalates?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Mar 2026 04:00:10 +0000 Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma US President Donald Trump said he may put off a planned visit to Beijing as he sought to press China and other nations into helping reopen the Strait of Hormuz amid the war in Iran. “We may delay” the trip, he told the Financial Times on Sunday, without saying for how long. The visit, scheduled for March 31 to April 2, includes a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Trump has “demanded” that about seven countries help to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, he told reporters on Sunday, as the... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346744/china-may-snub-trump-plea-help-strait-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346744/china-may-snub-trump-plea-help-strait-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Mar 2026 09:04:14 +0000 He Huifeng He Huifeng Observers in China have reacted cautiously to reports that Iran may allow oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz if the trade is conducted in Chinese yuan, citing operational feasibility limits and security risks. While the plan could symbolically advance the use of the Chinese currency, its implementation would face security and feasibility challenges and could strain China-US ties, they warned. The Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical oil shipping lanes, has been largely shut... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3346617/does-iran-have-yuan-hormuz-oil-trade-plan-why-analysts-china-are-urging-caution?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3346617/does-iran-have-yuan-hormuz-oil-trade-plan-why-analysts-china-are-urging-caution?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Mar 2026 13:09:46 +0000 Ji Siqi Ji Siqi Two prominent Chinese business leaders have pledged to double down on outbound investment – including in the Middle East and Latin America – even as geopolitical risks intensify following the outbreak of the US-Israeli war with Iran and Washington’s increasing interventions in the western hemisphere. Li Dongsheng, founder and chairman of Chinese electronics giant TCL, said the recent crisis in the Middle East had only a temporary impact on the company’s operations there and that the overall... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3346500/top-chinese-entrepreneurs-commit-middle-east-expansion-despite-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3346500/top-chinese-entrepreneurs-commit-middle-east-expansion-despite-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Mar 2026 04:00:09 +0000 Xinmei Shen,Teresa Elena Frontado Xinmei Shen,Teresa Elena Frontado The Trump administration has sought to minimise the impact of the Strait of Hormuz’s effective closure while offering few details on how it might restore oil flows through the strategic waterway. “There’s nothing to be afraid of,” US President Donald Trump said in an interview with Fox News aired on Friday, urging oil tankers to “show some guts.” Trump said Washington was still considering escorting ships through the strait but did not indicate whether a decision had been made. “We would do it... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3346558/us-says-irans-new-supreme-leader-likely-wounded-dismisses-strait-hormuz-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3346558/us-says-irans-new-supreme-leader-likely-wounded-dismisses-strait-hormuz-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Mar 2026 15:23:09 +0000 Lucy Quaggin,Xinmei Shen Lucy Quaggin,Xinmei Shen Iran’s new supreme leader has vowed to keep blocking the Strait of Hormuz, attack US bases and avenge the blood of its martyrs in his first statement since succeeding his father. US President Donald Trump responded with an insult and threat soon after. “The lever of blocking the Strait of Hormuz must definitely be used,” Mojtaba Khamenei said about the strategic waterway, which carries about a fifth of global oil shipments. Khamenei urged Iran’s Gulf neighbours to close US military bases in the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3346408/irans-mojtaba-khamenei-tells-gulf-nations-close-us-bases-war-rages?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3346408/irans-mojtaba-khamenei-tells-gulf-nations-close-us-bases-war-rages?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Mar 2026 14:05:21 +0000 Shi Jiangtao Shi Jiangtao With the Strait of Hormuz effectively weaponised as part of the Iran crisis, Beijing should move beyond rigid non-intervention to take targeted action to defend its massive interests abroad, according to a leading Chinese government adviser. In an interview published on Monday, Zheng Yongnian called for a more assertive “intervention 2.0” while avoiding US-style hegemonic overreach or “strong-arm” tactics. He argued that China’s commitment to “absolute non-intervention” was becoming increasingly... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346396/new-age-disorder-it-time-china-rethink-non-intervention?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346396/new-age-disorder-it-time-china-rethink-non-intervention?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Mar 2026 14:00:14 +0000 Seong Hyeon Choi Seong Hyeon Choi Zhao Tong is a senior fellow with the Nuclear Policy Programme at Washington-based think tank the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and its East Asia-based research centre on contemporary China, Carnegie China. His research focuses on strategic security issues, including nuclear weapons policy, deterrence, arms control, non-proliferation, missile defence, hypersonic weapons, regional security in the Asia-Pacific and China’s security and foreign policy. SCMP Plus readers get early access... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/military/article/3346333/us-israeli-war-iran-may-spark-nuclear-arms-race-carnegie-scholar-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/military/article/3346333/us-israeli-war-iran-may-spark-nuclear-arms-race-carnegie-scholar-says?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Mar 2026 07:39:17 +0000 Xinmei Shen,Lucy Quaggin,Teresa Elena Frontado Xinmei Shen,Lucy Quaggin,Teresa Elena Frontado US Central Command (CENTCOM) has urged civilians to keep clear of all port facilities in Iran, an announcement that drew a warning from Iran’s Revolutionary Guards of Gulf-wide retaliatory strikes if those sites are targeted. On Wednesday, CENTCOM said that the Iran was using civilian ports along the Strait of Hormuz to conduct military operations, which would make the ports legitimate military targets under international law. Civilians should immediately avoid all port facilities, and Iranian... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3346273/us-military-warns-civilians-avoid-port-facilities-used-iranian-navy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3346273/us-military-warns-civilians-avoid-port-facilities-used-iranian-navy?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Mar 2026 16:42:52 +0000 Xinyi Wu Xinyi Wu China’s surge in crude imports early this year has strengthened its stockpiles against a backdrop of rising Middle East tensions and global supply risks. China imported 96.93 million tonnes of crude in January and February, up 15.8 per cent from the same period in 2025, according to customs data released on Tuesday. The value of those imports, meanwhile, fell 5.2 per cent from last year in US dollar terms. “China was accumulating oil and gas stockpiles [earlier this year], with the market... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3346121/bolstering-oil-stockpile-chinas-import-surge-seen-creating-120-day-shock-shield?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3346121/bolstering-oil-stockpile-chinas-import-surge-seen-creating-120-day-shock-shield?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Mar 2026 11:00:14 +0000 Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma Oil prices tumbled and China stocks rebounded after US President Donald Trump said the war in Iran could be over “very soon” and that he could waive sanctions to ease a global squeeze on crude supply. Brent crude, the global benchmark, fell back down to about US$90 a barrel after surging to almost US$120 on Monday. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index climbed 2.2 per cent and the mainland CSI 300 Index rose 1.3 per cent. Both stock gauges are still down for the month. The United States was “way ahead of... https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3346091/chinas-energy-defences-ease-sting-iran-war-instability?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3346091/chinas-energy-defences-ease-sting-iran-war-instability?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Mar 2026 09:01:04 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Ships anchored in the Gulf or transiting the Strait of Hormuz are changing their tracking data to boast links to China in an attempt to evade Iranian attacks, according to data from shipping tracker Marine Traffic analysed by Agence France-Presse. Iran has effectively closed the vital waterway since US-Israeli strikes on it began on February 28, and at least 10 vessels have been attacked since. But by claiming to have an “all-Chinese crew” aboard, or changing their destination to “Chinese... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3346021/ships-brandish-china-links-evade-irans-attacks-strait-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3346021/ships-brandish-china-links-evade-irans-attacks-strait-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Mar 2026 17:52:45 +0000 Carol Yang Carol Yang Against the backdrop of oil prices surging past US$100 per barrel for the first time since the onset of the Russia-Ukraine war in 2022, China has its sights set on strengthening energy security by stabilising domestic crude production and strategic backups – exemplified by coal-to-oil and gas projects – for the next few years. The nation pledges to maintain annual crude production at 200 million tonnes, ensure a steady rise in natural gas output, and bolster technical readiness for coal-derived... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3345995/china-vows-stabilise-oil-and-gas-output-new-5-year-plan-global-risks-mount?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3345995/china-vows-stabilise-oil-and-gas-output-new-5-year-plan-global-risks-mount?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Mar 2026 14:30:07 +0000 Vanessa Cai Vanessa Cai Professor Pan Guang has spent decades focused on Jewish studies, the Middle East and its ties with China. Among his many roles, Pan is founding director of a research centre on the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. For other interviews in the Open Questions series, click here. Amid recent events in Iran, how do you assess the impact on China? Will China’s “petroyuan” settlement encounter problems, and what of the risks to the Belt and Road Initiative’s infrastructure assets? Overall, the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3345870/how-will-iran-turmoil-affect-china-and-its-middle-east-ties-pan-guang-weighs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3345870/how-will-iran-turmoil-affect-china-and-its-middle-east-ties-pan-guang-weighs?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Mar 2026 22:00:18 +0000 Dewey Sim Dewey Sim The United States and China could still have a “big year” in bilateral ties despite Washington’s ongoing strikes against Iran, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Sunday, suggesting a planned visit to China by US President Donald Trump remained on track. Uncertainty has been mounting over Trump’s planned meeting with President Xi Jinping – expected to start on March 31 – after US and Israeli forces last month launched major strikes on Iran, one of China’s key strategic partners and oil... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3345888/trumps-china-trip-still-despite-iran-wang-yi-sees-potential?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3345888/trumps-china-trip-still-despite-iran-wang-yi-sees-potential?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Mar 2026 15:00:09 +0000 Mia Nurmamat Mia Nurmamat The escalating conflict in the Middle East is having a direct impact on China’s access to sulphur – a raw material for producing fertiliser – just as the country enters its vital spring planting season. With China sourcing a large chunk of its sulphur from the Persian Gulf, the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz is already sending prices for the chemical shooting upwards as Chinese buyers complain of tightening supplies. China relies on imports for 47 per cent of its sulphur supply,... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3345761/iran-war-hits-chinas-sulphur-imports-economic-fallout-conflict-grows?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3345761/iran-war-hits-chinas-sulphur-imports-economic-fallout-conflict-grows?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Mar 2026 09:00:08 +0000 Alexander Clackson Alexander Clackson China has responded to the escalating conflict in Iran with familiar language: calls for restraint, condemnation of military escalation and appeals for dialogue. But beneath the carefully calibrated diplomacy lies a harder strategic reality. What happens in Iran carries significant implications for Beijing’s energy security, regional positioning and global rivalry with the United States. For China, Iran is not an ideological ally in the way Russia appears to be. The relationship is rooted in... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3345363/irans-uncertain-future-poses-strategic-test-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3345363/irans-uncertain-future-poses-strategic-test-china?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Mar 2026 12:30:08 +0000 Haining Gao Haining Gao — https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3345701/china-iran-relations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3345701/china-iran-relations?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Mar 2026 08:00:39 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang The deadly US-Israeli military strikes on Iran have triggered an outpouring of public sympathy and support in China, with many social media users condemning the attacks and discussing ways to help. The Iranian embassy in China thanked the “righteous” Chinese public on Thursday for their support, but said it was not accepting financial help from Chinese individuals and organisations for now. “The embassy would like to express its sincere gratitude to the civilised and righteous Chinese people,”... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3345584/iran-thanks-chinese-public-after-us-israeli-air-strikes-prompt-online-wave-sympathy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3345584/iran-thanks-chinese-public-after-us-israeli-air-strikes-prompt-online-wave-sympathy?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Mar 2026 10:42:52 +0000 Vanessa Cai Vanessa Cai Professor Pan Guang has spent decades focused on Jewish studies, the Middle East and its ties with China. Among his many roles, Pan is founding director of a research centre on the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. This interview first appeared in SCMP Plus. For other interviews in the Open Questions series, click here. Amid recent events in Iran, how do you assess the impact on China? Will China’s “petroyuan” settlement encounter problems, and what of the risks to the Belt and Road... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/world/middle-east/article/3345551/iran-wars-impact-china-limited-mideast-scholar-pan-guang-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/world/middle-east/article/3345551/iran-wars-impact-china-limited-mideast-scholar-pan-guang-says?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Mar 2026 08:37:36 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang China and Iran may be strategic partners but, as was the case with America’s special operation in Venezuela in January, China has offered no security support to Iran over the US and Israeli attacks. The decision was based on a consideration of Beijing’s own interests, its ties with the US and other countries, and to minimise military and financial risks to China, according to analysts. Since the large-scale attacks against Iran began over the weekend, Beijing has limited its response to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3345387/why-china-staying-sidelines-us-iran-conflict?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3345387/why-china-staying-sidelines-us-iran-conflict?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Mar 2026 12:00:08 +0000 Mark Magnier Mark Magnier Top Chinese diplomat Wang Yi urged his Israeli counterpart to help bring about an immediate end to the war in Iran during a call on Tuesday, reportedly held at Israel’s request. The call came three days after Israel and the United States launched a massive attack on Tehran, killing its Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, his wife and senior Iranian officials, prompting largely ineffective Iranian counter-attacks across the Middle East to date. “China opposes any military strikes launched by... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3345325/china-urges-israel-end-war-iran-regional-tensions-escalate?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3345325/china-urges-israel-end-war-iran-regional-tensions-escalate?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Mar 2026 18:08:00 +0000 Cao Jiaxuan Cao Jiaxuan China is expected to rebalance its ties with Israel as US-Israeli air strikes on Iran reshape the region’s security landscape, but analysts say it is unlikely to abandon its long-standing “balanced diplomacy” in the Middle East. The strikes began on Saturday after nuclear talks between Washington and Tehran reached a stalemate and tensions spiralled. Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the 86-year-old cleric who had dominated the Islamic Republic’s political system for nearly four... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3345308/how-will-china-adjust-israel-ties-us-led-strikes-iran-reshape-middle-east?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3345308/how-will-china-adjust-israel-ties-us-led-strikes-iran-reshape-middle-east?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Mar 2026 15:00:10 +0000 Kandy Wong Kandy Wong China could potentially face shortages of methanol – a vital input for several industries – if the Iran war drags on and causes lengthy disruptions to shipping traffic along the Strait of Hormuz, analysts said. Methanol, also known as methyl alcohol, is a chemical compound that is widely used by Chinese producers. It is both a biofuel and a key raw material for a range of products – from paint and formaldehyde to plastics and synthetic fabrics. The growing conflict in the Middle East could be a... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3345276/iran-war-could-significantly-disrupt-chinas-methanol-imports-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3345276/iran-war-could-significantly-disrupt-chinas-methanol-imports-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Mar 2026 14:00:09 +0000 Dewey Sim Dewey Sim Iran is unlikely to dominate the agenda at this year’s national legislative sessions but it is likely to feature in policy discussions, according to observers. Analysts said the Middle East turmoil could prompt a broader rethink in some policy areas in Beijing, including a reassessment of its Middle East strategy and how it can safeguard its expanding overseas interests. The “two sessions”, the annual meetings of China’s top legislature and political advisory body, get under way this week, with... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3345295/will-iran-crisis-feature-foreign-policy-talks-chinas-two-sessions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3345295/will-iran-crisis-feature-foreign-policy-talks-chinas-two-sessions?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Mar 2026 13:00:07 +0000 Lucy Quaggin,Teresa Elena Frontado,Mark Magnier Lucy Quaggin,Teresa Elena Frontado,Mark Magnier US President Donald Trump said on Monday that US forces would press ahead with “ferocious, unyielding resolve” to “eliminate the intolerable threat posed by this sick and sinister regime” in Iran, while US Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that “the hardest hits are yet to come”. “We projected for four to five weeks, but we have the capability to go longer than that,” Trump said, adding: “We’re already substantially ahead of our time projection”. In his speech on Monday at a White House... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3345185/iran-strikes-day-3-trump-says-iran-operation-will-continue-5-weeks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3345185/iran-strikes-day-3-trump-says-iran-operation-will-continue-5-weeks?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Mar 2026 17:29:12 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings Asian countries are heavily reliant on imported oil and gas and could suffer serious economic fallout after the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran, Morgan Stanley said. The manufacturing-intensive, export-reliant region was “more sensitive” to oil price volatility than Europe or the US, the New York-based investment bank said in a research note on Sunday. Asia’s oil and gas trade deficit stood at 2.1 per cent of gross domestic product, it calculated. Every sustained US$10... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3345161/asias-oil-dependence-leaves-it-exposed-after-us-israel-strikes-iran-morgan-stanley?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3345161/asias-oil-dependence-leaves-it-exposed-after-us-israel-strikes-iran-morgan-stanley?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Mar 2026 13:30:07 +0000 Ji Siqi,Mia Nurmamat Ji Siqi,Mia Nurmamat The escalating conflict in the Middle East – which is sending oil prices soaring and disrupting shipping traffic along the Strait of Hormuz – should not pose an immediate threat to China’s crude supply, but will add urgency to the country’s energy security drive, analysts said. Since the United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran over the weekend, commercial traffic has largely come to a standstill along the Strait of Hormuz – a waterway linking the Persian Gulf with the Indian Ocean... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3345135/iran-conflict-will-accelerate-chinas-push-become-energy-powerhouse-analysts-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3345135/iran-conflict-will-accelerate-chinas-push-become-energy-powerhouse-analysts-say?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Mar 2026 12:00:08 +0000 Seong Hyeon Choi,Yuanyue Dang Seong Hyeon Choi,Yuanyue Dang The US and Israel’s air strikes against Iran, supported by electronic and cyber capabilities, serve as a “wake-up call” for China’s intelligence strategy and its military’s approach to deploying advanced technologies in modern warfare, analysts say. In weekend air strikes against Iran that killed its supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the US struck over 1,000 targets with an array of advanced weaponry, including Tomahawk cruise missiles, stealth fighters and bombers. And for the first time... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3345123/iran-attack-seen-wake-call-chinas-electronic-warfare-and-intelligence?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3345123/iran-attack-seen-wake-call-chinas-electronic-warfare-and-intelligence?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Mar 2026 08:42:23 +0000 Khushboo Razdan,Teresa Elena Frontado Khushboo Razdan,Teresa Elena Frontado US President Donald Trump vowed to press ahead with a sweeping military campaign against Iran until US objectives are fully achieved, warning that additional American casualties were likely even as Washington intensified what he described as one of the largest offensives in modern history. “Sadly, there will likely be more before it ends,” Trump said in a video posted on social media, referring to the deaths of three US service members confirmed earlier by the US Central Command. “That’s the way... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3345054/pentagon-confirms-three-american-deaths-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3345054/pentagon-confirms-three-american-deaths-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Mar 2026 16:21:58 +0000 Marco Vicenzino Marco Vicenzino The coordinated US and Israeli strikes inside Iran mark more than another episode in a long-running confrontation. They represent a structural escalation – one whose consequences extend well beyond the Middle East. This is not the start of a new war. It is the next stage in a conflict that has been unfolding since October 2023, gradually shifting from proxy exchanges and shadow operations to direct state-on-state confrontation. On February 28, Washington moved from strategic backstop to visible... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3344982/us-israeli-strike-iran-signals-new-phase-global-escalation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3344982/us-israeli-strike-iran-signals-new-phase-global-escalation?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Feb 2026 13:20:08 +0000 Vanessa Cai,Laura Zhou,Josephine Ma,Alcott Wei,Dannie Peng Vanessa Cai,Laura Zhou,Josephine Ma,Alcott Wei,Dannie Peng Donald Trump called on the Iranian people to overthrow their government after the United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran early on Saturday in what the US president described as “major combat operations”. “We are going to destroy their missiles and raze their missile industry to the ground. It will be totally … obliterated. We are going to annihilate their navy. We’re going to ensure that the region’s terrorist proxies can no longer destabilise the region or the world and attack... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3344963/israel-launches-preemptive-strike-against-iran-saying-it-seeks-remove-threats?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3344963/israel-launches-preemptive-strike-against-iran-saying-it-seeks-remove-threats?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Feb 2026 06:46:02 +0000 Zhao Ziwen Zhao Ziwen Chinese researchers have released the world’s first open-source text-to-speech (TTS) model that unifies more than 20 Arabic dialects in an AI framework, a move poised to expand China’s technological influence in the Middle East, according to analysts. Led by Shanghai Jiao Tong University’s X-LANCE Lab – one of China’s top audiovisual and language processing research entities – the model is named Habibi, meaning “my dear” in Arabic. In presenting their findings, the research team spearheaded by... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3344955/meet-habibi-chinese-ai-uniting-20-arabic-dialects-middle-east-first?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3344955/meet-habibi-chinese-ai-uniting-20-arabic-dialects-middle-east-first?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Feb 2026 06:00:26 +0000 Victoria Bela,Vanessa Cai Victoria Bela,Vanessa Cai Beijing has urged Chinese nationals in Iran to take security precautions as the risk of US air strikes grows, with no sign of a deal on Iran’s nuclear programme. In an advisory early on Saturday, China’s embassy in Tehran said there were “external security risks that have risen significantly” and Chinese nationals in Iran should “closely monitor changes in the security situation and strengthen their safety awareness”. Hours earlier, the foreign ministry in Beijing used similar language when it... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3344924/china-tells-citizens-get-out-iran-soon-possible-us-strike-fears-grow?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3344924/china-tells-citizens-get-out-iran-soon-possible-us-strike-fears-grow?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Feb 2026 12:51:23 +0000 Reuters Reuters The United States has warned Syria against relying on Chinese technology in its telecommunications sector, arguing it conflicts with US interests and threatens US national security, according to three sources familiar with the matter. The message was conveyed during an unreported meeting between a US State Department team and Syrian Communications Minister Abdulsalam Haykal in San Francisco on Tuesday. Washington has been ‌coordinating closely with Damascus since 2024, when Syria’s now President... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3344793/us-presses-syria-shift-chinese-telecoms-systems-cites-threat-national-security?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3344793/us-presses-syria-shift-chinese-telecoms-systems-cites-threat-national-security?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Feb 2026 22:42:08 +0000 Yuanyue Dang,Amber Wang Yuanyue Dang,Amber Wang A Chinese private company has drawn the attention of security watchers after detailing US military deployments near Iran, a move experts say underlines Beijing’s intelligence abilities. MizarVision, a Chinese commercial intelligence analysis firm, has consistently published monitoring posts regarding American military movements on social media over the past two years. But it has attracted fresh attention in the past month with an increase in the frequency and granularity of its posts and by... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3344638/china-flexing-its-intelligence-muscle-tracking-us-military-moves-near-iran?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3344638/china-flexing-its-intelligence-muscle-tracking-us-military-moves-near-iran?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Feb 2026 14:00:07 +0000