Beijing’s Calculus in the US-Iran Standoff
February 22, 2026
Beijing views the US‑Iran standoff as both a threat to its energy security and an opportunity to portray Washington as unstable. China sees Trump’s shifting deadlines, dual‑carrier deployments, and stalled diplomacy as politically driven escalation. With Iran reliant on Chinese oil purchases, Beijing expects prolonged tension that drains US focus without triggering a regional war that disrupts Chinese trade.