Sources revealed China's crucial role as the main factor pushing Iran to agree to a two-week ceasefire with the United States, utilizing channels through intermediary countries and trade allies to pressure a return to negotiations aimed at maintaining global economic stability.
Foreign news agencies reported that officials disclosed the Chinese government, as Iran's largest trading partner, has acted as a "guiding force" behind efforts to achieve a temporary ceasefire agreement between the U.S. and Iran. China has quietly worked through intermediaries such as Pakistan, Turkey, and Egypt to pressure Iran toward a path of peace.
U.S. President Donald Trump told AFP that China played a very significant role in encouraging Iran to return to negotiations. This move aligns with China's own interests, as it seeks to de-escalate the conflict ahead of Trump's planned visit to China to meet President Xi Jinping in mid-May, after the original late March trip was postponed due to wartime conditions.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning stated, "All parties must show sincerity and promptly end this war that should never have occurred." She emphasized China's deep concern over the conflict's effects on the global economy and energy security. Meanwhile, the Chinese Embassy in Washington announced that Beijing has worked "tirelessly for peace" since the outbreak of the war.
Despite China's push for a ceasefire, at the United Nations on Tuesday (7 Apr), China joined Russia in vetoing a draft resolution calling on states to coordinate to protect commercial navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. China's permanent representative to the UN, Fu Cong, reasoned that passing the resolution while the U.S. continues threatening measures could send the wrong signal globally.
This move reflects China's attempt to elevate its global role by leveraging both economic power and diplomacy to pressure allies like Iran, while simultaneously maintaining a firm political stance against the United States on the international stage.