China is looking to help rebuild Iran after Tehran signed a deal with the United States to end the war. Beijing is expected to provide economic and diplomatic support as Iran begins reconstruction efforts.
During a meeting in New Delhi on Monday, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told an Iranian security official, Ghadir Nezamipour, that China was ready to play a constructive role in restoring peace and stability in the region.
“China is willing to continue to provide assistance in its own way and play a constructive role in restoring regional peace and tranquility at an early date,” Wang said, according to China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The move could also benefit China, as it is Iran’s largest trading partner and its biggest buyer of oil. China imports about 70% of the crude oil, with roughly half of this coming from the Middle East.
Estimates suggest that China buys around 90 per cent of all the oil Iran exports. Some of this oil is shipped indirectly through countries such as Malaysia before reaching China.
China is currently focusing on emergency humanitarian assistance, such as sending medical supplies and other relief materials to countries affected by conflict. On June 17, Beijing announced that it would provide aid to Lebanon to help people recover, rebuild their communities, and improve economic conditions after the conflict.
During talks, Wang also said China would work to improve relations between Iran and countries in the Persian Gulf. Ties between Iran and several Gulf states had become strained after Iran carried out retaliatory attacks on energy facilities and US military bases in the region.
Wang said China welcomes the next round of talks between Iran and the US, which will be supported by Pakistan and Qatar. These discussions will be based on the agreement recently signed by the two countries to end the conflict. Wang said the 14-point agreement is important because it calls for an immediate and permanent ceasefire.
“These provisions clearly call for an immediate and permanent cessation of hostilities, refraining from the use or threat of force, mutual respect for each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and non-interference in each other’s internal affairs,” the statement read.
China has remained in contact with both Washington and Tehran throughout the conflict and is looking to use groups such as BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) to support Iran’s recovery efforts.
While Iran has described China as an indispensable long-term partner, reports say Beijing must balance its support for Tehran with its ties to the US and Gulf nations. This is because worsening relations with Washington could complicate China’s wider strategic goals, including its stance on Taiwan, according to a Japanese outlet.
