Opinion | Fury In The Gulf: Why Is China Missing In Action?

Last Updated:March 10, 2026, 20:23 IST If Iran were to become a US client state, as Donald Trump hopes, China would suddenly find itself vulnerable in a region where it hopes to exercise strategic primacy About 14% of China’s oil imports come from Iran. Nearly 45% of China’s oil imports pass through the Strait of Hormuz. This strait is currently choked. The war that the United States and Israel have brought to Iran therefore threatens one of China’s main life-giving energy arteries. While Iran is undoubtedly an important energy partner for China, it is also an important buffer state. Iran…