China in the Iran dilemma: rejects pressure, fears Strait of Hormuz cost
China rejects US sanctions and pressure on Iran but is directly affected by continued disruption of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea, as the world's largest oil importer. Beijing is pursuing two parallel tracks: opposing unilateral sanctions and military pressure while calling for resumed negotiations and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. It opposed US sanctions on Iranian airlines and voted against a UN Security Council resolution on Iran sanctions monitoring on 17 September.
Why it matters: This bears on the briefing theme of energy security, because China's reliance on Gulf oil transit makes the Strait of Hormuz a central variable in its position on the US-Iran war.