China’s Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday it will take all necessary steps to safeguard its economic and trade ties with Iran following the United States’ announcement of sanctions against dozens of Chinese entities and threats of penalties against a major financial institution over dealings with Tehran.
Spokesperson Lin Jian stated that China’s relationship with Iran should not be disrupted or undermined, emphasizing that bilateral cooperation remains a priority. The U.S. measures, unveiled as part of President Donald Trump’s broader economic pressure campaign against Iran, target entities accused of facilitating transactions or transfers related to Tehran’s oil sector and military supply chains.
China remains Iran’s largest oil importer, providing a critical economic lifeline to the Islamic Republic. The U.S. has intensified its regional posture in recent weeks, redeploying its only Asia-based aircraft carrier to the Middle East and canceling a scheduled military exercise with South Korea due to personnel shortages linked to deployments near Iran.
The escalation comes ahead of a planned summit on September 24 in Washington between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Trump, aimed at preserving a fragile trade truce between the world’s two largest economies. Analysts suggest Beijing may seek to mitigate risks by reducing Iranian oil purchases, restricting payments through Chinese banks, or tightening controls on dual-use components that could support Iranian weapons programs.
Former U.S. Middle East policy adviser Jesse Marks noted that while China seeks to avoid a broader conflict, it has little incentive to assist Washington in ending tensions without receiving tangible concessions in return.
