The massive American military strikes on Iran could add a new layer of uncertainty to US President Donald Trump’s high-stakes trip to China at the end of the month, observers warn.
They said that while the visit was expected to go ahead as planned, the escalating conflict in the Middle East could fuel fresh concerns in Beijing over Washington’s global assertiveness and ambitions.
Large-scale US and Israeli strikes on Iran since Saturday have killed senior Iranian figures including the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in a dramatic escalation of the Middle East crisis after US-Iran nuclear talks ended without a deal.
Tehran has responded by launching attacks on US military bases in the region while vowing “ferocious” retaliation.
China has strongly condemned the killing of Khamenei – the top cleric who had ruled for nearly four decades – describing it as 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,” Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said on Monday.
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