China did NOT move "quickly to condemn the U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran"
Technically, Beijing only condemned the attack and killing of Khamenei and the attack on the girls' school. And it basically condemned Iran for attacking other Gulf countries.
In a news analysis entitled U.S. Attacks on Iran Test Fragile Truce With China, The New York Times wrote today
China has moved quickly to condemn the U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, with its top diplomat, Wang Yi, accusing both governments of assassinating another country’s leader and pledging to support Tehran’s sovereignty and security.
The entire article basically says China has employed “sharp rhetoric over Iran,” but will not do much due to the fact that its relations with Iran are strategic but not military, and “Beijing cares much more about managing the United States than events in the Middle East.”
That’s largely right. But my disagreement is actually that China has adopted noticeably mild rhetoric, rather than “sharp” rhetoric, and it did NOT move quickly to condemn the U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran.
China’s foreign ministry, outside its regular press conference on weekdays, has mentioned the attack on Iran seven times. All of them are available in English. Two of them are spokesperson’s remarks, basically press statements, issued on the first and second days of the attack. Five are readouts of phone calls between the Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi and his Russian, Omani, Iranian, French, and Israeli counterparts.
Out of the seven occasions, you’ll be surprised to find that the word “condemn” appeared only once - in the press statement on Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s killing
The attack and killing of Iran’s supreme leader is a grave violation of Iran’s sovereignty and security. It tramples on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and basic norms in international relations. China firmly opposes and strongly condemns it. We urge for an immediate stop to the military operations, no further escalation of the tense situation and joint effort to maintain peace and stability in the Middle East and the world at large.
It would not be unfair to say that China’s condemnation is limited only to Khamenei’s killing, because China’s first response to the attack on Iran in general didn’t include a condemnation, nor did Wang Yi’s subsequent five calls with other foreign ministers, where the readouts didn’t mention Khamenei’s killing.
Also, just read the first response
China is highly concerned over the military strikes against Iran launched by the U.S. and Israel. Iran’s sovereignty, security and territorial integrity should be respected. China calls for an immediate stop to the military actions, no further escalation of the tense situation, resumption of dialogue and negotiation, and efforts to uphold peace and stability in the Middle East.
I almost laughed out loud when I saw the first sentence. “Highly concerned?” As I quipped in a group chat, it sounded as if written by Brussels. (not in this case, of course.)
And Iran’s sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity “should” (in Chinese 应当) be respected? Not “must” （in Chinese 必须） be respected?
In comparison, the foreign ministry’s first response on January 3 to the U.S. military attack on Venezuela was much stronger, with a condemnation
China is deeply shocked by and strongly condemns the U.S.’s blatant use of force against a sovereign state and action against its president. Such hegemonic acts of the U.S. seriously violate international law and Venezuela’s sovereignty, and threaten peace and security in Latin America and the Caribbean region. China firmly opposes it. We call on the U.S. to abide by international law and the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, and stop violating other countries’ sovereignty and security.
But there is neither deep shock nor strong condemnation in the response to the attack on Iran.
Since the condemnation only came after Khamenei’s killing, which is on the second day of the attack, it would be also stretch to say China moved “quickly.”
After the foreign ministry issued its first response (let’s just read it again)
China is highly concerned over the military strikes against Iran launched by the U.S. and Israel. Iran’s sovereignty, security and territorial integrity should be respected. China calls for an immediate stop to the military actions, no further escalation of the tense situation, resumption of dialogue and negotiation, and efforts to uphold peace and stability in the Middle East.
China and Russia called for an emergency meeting at the Security Council of the United Nations. Fu Cong, a smart and skillful ambassador, said:
President,
I thank Secretary-General António Guterres for his briefing, and support his call for deescalation and return to diplomatic negotiations.
Today, the United States and Israel brazenly launched military strikes against targets inside Iran, causing a sudden escalation of regional tensions. China is deeply concerned about this development. China consistently advocates that all parties should abide by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, and opposes and condemns the use or threat of force in international relations. China stresses that the sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity of Iran and other regional countries must be respected.
Fu Cong repeated the Chinese foreign ministry’s concerns about this particular U.S. and Israeli attack on Iran. But when he mentioned his condemnation, technically, it was not exactly a condemnation of this attack, but merely reiterating China’s consistent stance all the time
China consistently advocates that all parties should abide by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, and opposes and condemns the use or threat of force in international relations.
My reading is that, with such careful and skillful phrasing, he was able include the “condemnation,” a word that matters, but without actually going beyond the foreign ministry’s first response.
At regular press briefings of China’s foreign ministry, a Chinese spokeswoman only invoked the word “condemnation” on Monday March 2 in the context of Khamenei’s killing was mentioned, strictly following the second response
NHK: The U.S. and Israel launched military strikes against Iran and Iran’s supreme leader Khamenei was killed. What is China’s reaction to this?
Mao Ning: The attack and killing of Iran’s supreme leader is a grave violation of Iran’s sovereignty and security. It tramples on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and basic norms in international relations. China firmly opposes and strongly condemns it. We urge for an immediate stop to the military operations, no further escalation of the tense situation and joint effort to maintain peace and stability in the Middle East and the world at large.
She added a condemnation on Tuesday, March 3, on the reported massive deaths at a girls’ school, which is totally reasonable.
Anadolu Agency: In Israel’s attacks against Iran, we saw a girls’ school was bombed on Saturday. And more recently, Iran’s public broadcaster IRIB’s buildings in Tehran were targeted in military attacks. We are now witnessing a similar, dangerous pattern of targeting civilians, civilian facilities, children, journalists, like we have seen before in Gaza. What is China’s comment about these acts?
Mao Ning: China is deeply saddened by the massive civilian casualties caused by U.S. and Israeli strikes against Iran. We strongly condemn that. Protection of civilians in armed conflicts is a red line and must not be violated. Indiscriminate use of force cannot be accepted. China calls on all parties to fulfill their obligations under international law, effectively ensure the safety of civilians, and avoid attacks on civilian facilities.
But again, this condemnation is limited only to the massive civilian casualties.
This exchange between Xinhua and the spokesperson is also interesting
Xinhua News Agency: Since U.S. and Israeli strikes against Iran began on February 28, U.S. military targets in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and Jordan have been under attack, which is condemned by relevant countries. What is China’s comment?
Mao Ning: The U.S.-Israeli strikes have no UN Security Council authorization and violate international law. China is deeply concerned over the regional spillover. China believes that the sovereignty, security and territorial integrity of the Gulf states should likewise be fully respected. We urge parties to stop the military operations and prevent further spread of the conflict. China commends the statement by the 50th Extraordinary Meeting of the GCC Ministerial Council that reaffirmed the importance of dialogue and diplomacy as the sole path to overcome the current crisis and preserve regional security. In light of the complex and delicate situation, China supports regional countries in valuing good-neighborliness, enhancing communication and coordination and jointly working for peace and stability in the region.
It can be read as if the state news agency attempted to evoke condemnation by citing a GCC condemnation, but still didn’t get one.
Finally, it’s little reported out there, but China basically condemned Iran for attacking other Gulf countries
The following question was raised after the press conference: U.S. and Israeli military strikes against Iran on February 28 have been met with Iran’s counterattacks. Over the past few days, U.S. targets in the member countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council as well as Jordan and Iraq have been attacked, which affected civilian facilities in relevant countries and caused civilian casualties. Several countries condemn that in their statements. What’s China’s comment?
Mao Ning: The blatant military strikes against Iran launched by the U.S. and Israel have ratcheted up regional tensions and caused regional spillover. China is gravely concerned. China believes that Gulf countries’ sovereignty, security and territorial integrity should be fully respected, and any attack against innocent civilians and non-military targets should be condemned. China urges all parties to immediately stop the military operations and prevent further spread of the conflict. China stands ready to work with regional countries and the international community to promote peace, stop the conflict, and work actively for peace and stability in the region.
I think this particular sentence in that NYT report could use some editing
China could still consider canceling or postponing the meeting with Mr. Trump to show its displeasure with Washington’s use of military power against Iran.
I think this particular sentence could use a bit more qualification. If it is based on reporting from someone with knowledge, that might be worth indicating. If it is more of an analytical judgment, that could perhaps also be framed a little more explicitly. As written, it feels just a touch less attributed than it might ideally be.
P.S. There is a funny account on Twitter/X called Is EU Concerned?
In summary, China is just blah... blah... blah...