Overview

• A shaky ceasefire brokered by Washington has paused Israel’s airstrikes and reduced threats to vital oil channels.
• Beijing condemned Israel’s attacks and US strikes at the United Nations and in diplomatic talks, urging an immediate halt without providing military support.
• China depends on the Middle East for over half its crude imports and sources around one-tenth of that from Iran, making oil security its foremost concern.
• Beijing’s refusal to deploy arms or troops for Tehran underscored the transactional limits of its strategic partnership with Iran and Russia.
• With Iran’s air defenses weakened, Chinese defense firms see potential opportunities for arms sales, though any deals remain in early, unconfirmed discussions.