China’s help critical, but unlikely, for US to choke off Iran
China is among countries whose entities have already been hit by the sweeping US plan, with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent telling Beijing to 'get with the programme'.
Beijing has defended its cooperation with Tehran and vowed to protect its interests despite US threats to economically isolate Iran. Analysts say successful sanctions against Iran would require unlikely cooperation from China, as the country is a key customer for Iranian oil and a significant portion of their trade relies on the Chinese currency, which is outside US sanctions reach.
China is already feeling economic strain from the Strait of Hormuz disruption, which would worsen if Iran's oil exports were completely blocked. China has already faced some consequences from US sanctions on Chinese entities accused of helping Iran procure critical technology, but has not targeted major Chinese financial institutions.
China's foreign ministry maintains that its cooperation with Iran is within international law and will not be interfered with. While the US is aware of China's ability to push back against sanctions, it remains uncertain whether China will cooperate, as it would only do so if the costs of supporting Iran outweigh the strategic and economic benefits.
Written by urgent.news from Free Malaysia Today's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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