▲U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to hold a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the end of March. (Photo / Associated Press)
U.S. President Trump stated during a recent interview that NATO allies and China should help by sending ships to open the Strait of Hormuz. Analysts believe that China is unlikely to send naval ships to escort oil tankers.
In an interview with the Financial Times, Trump threatened that if allies do not send ships to assist in opening the Strait of Hormuz, NATO would face a “very bad” future, specifically mentioning China and indicating that the upcoming meeting between Trump and Xi might be delayed to encourage Beijing to assist in this key shipping route. The Chinese government has not formally responded yet.
According to a report by Singapore’s Lianhe Zaobao, Luo Minghui, an associate professor at Nanyang Technological University of Singapore, stated that China is cautious about sending naval ships for escort missions and is unlikely to do so at this stage. “If China joins the U.S. escort alliance, it would put itself in a difficult position, especially since China has previously criticized U.S. military actions.” China has remained restrained and cautious regarding the situation in Iran, criticizing attacks while avoiding direct and fierce criticisms of Trump.
Military commentator Song Zhongping also pointed out that China has always advocated solving Middle Eastern conflicts through diplomatic means and is expected not to use military force for tanker escorts, as it does not want to clash with Iranian military forces, which conflicts with China’s political interests.
A WeChat account affiliated with Chinese state media, “Niu Tan Qin,” commented mockingly, saying, “The whole world is astonished, feeling that Iran is also crying and laughing… The U.S. is actually asking China to help clean up the mess.” The U.S. current goal is not to overthrow the Iranian regime but to reopen the Strait of Hormuz since continued blockade would lead to skyrocketing international oil prices, impacting the whole world.
Niu Tan Qin pointed out, “In the U.S., oil prices have special political meaning, unless Trump truly does not care about the midterm elections. Therefore, Trump is very anxious, even directly requesting China, France, the UK, Japan, and South Korea to help clean up the mess.”
Regarding the Trump-Xi meeting and the situation in the Middle East, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian stated that both sides of China and the U.S. are still in communication about Trump’s visit and emphasized the importance of high-level diplomacy for bilateral relations. He called on all relevant parties to cease military actions, avoid further conflicts, and prevent regional turmoil from impacting global energy and commodity trading.