The US is toughening its rhetoric
“The United States will continue to take action to hold Chinese entities accountable for their support to Iran and ensure that Iran is unable to replicate its WMD proliferation programs after Operation Epic Fury,” the State Department wrote. ““Attacks on American soldiers and partners will not go unanswered.” – he pointed out.
The timing of the government's decision to impose sanctions on Chinese companies underscores the administration's frustration with Beijing's public narrative of wanting to end the conflict in the Persian Gulf while providing continued support to the Iranian armed forces.
As the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday, this also applies to the export of parts necessary for Tehran's drone program. The sanctions are also likely to strengthen Trump's negotiating position during his meeting with Xi, during which he is expected to press the Chinese leader to persuade Tehran to reach a deal that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz to normal ship traffic.
On Friday, the administration also imposed sanctions on 10 other entities and individuals in countries including Belarus, Iran and the United Arab Emirates that it said “support the Iranian military's efforts to obtain weapons.”
The Chinese embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Donald Trump will travel to Beijing in less than a week with a delegation of American businessmen ready to conclude agreements with the geopolitical rival of the United States. Meanwhile, U.S. defense officials fear that a grueling conflict with Iran may give Xi an advantage in negotiations with Trump.
The US is intensifying its trade dispute with China
The sanctions against China announced on Friday are just the latest example of escalating tensions. Last week, China's Ministry of Commerce issued a ban on enforcing or complying with separately imposed U.S. sanctions on five Chinese refineries accused of purchasing oil from Tehran. According to state news agency Xinhua, this is the first such blockade step since China implemented a national policy in 2021 prohibiting compliance with international measures it considers “unjustified”.
However, the US president expressed his belief that he and Xi have the necessary relationships and common grounds to work together on the situation in the Middle East.
— This will be one of the topics Trump said during a news conference in the Oval Office last week. “But he's very accepting of it. Honestly, about 60 percent. its oil comes from the Strait of Hormuz. I think he shows a lot of respect. China did not pose any challenges to us, he said.
