Guo Jiakun, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, says that China “does not agree with the attacks on Gulf states and condemns all indiscriminate attacks on civilians and nonmilitary targets.”
These words were uttered at last Friday’s press briefing by Guo, who, says Newsweek, did not call out Iran by name (perhaps in deference to the fact that the Chinese government has supported all previous lunatic conduct by Iran) (March 13, 2026).
“The remarks mark a shift in rhetoric toward Tehran, now led by Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei…. China, a key diplomatic partner and the buyer of most of Iran’s crude oil, has repeatedly condemned the ongoing U.S.-Israeli offensive, which Iranian officials say [has] killed more than 1,300….”
We can’t read too much into Guo’s shift in rhetoric, in part because the Chinese government does not exactly proceed as if it regards “indiscriminate attacks on civilians and nonmilitary targets” as anathema. But also, says Newsweek, because “China has so far avoided condemning Iran outright and on Wednesday joined Russia in abstaining from a United Nations Security Council resolution to condemn Iran’s ‘egregious attacks’ against its neighbors.”
China did indeed abstain. The United Nations reports:
The draft resolution, tabled by Bahrain on behalf of Gulf Cooperation Council members and Jordan, was adopted [by the UN Security Council] with 13 votes in favour and two abstentions (China and Russia).
The text “condemns in the strongest terms the egregious attacks” by Iran against Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan, determining they constitute “a breach of international law and a serious threat to international peace and security.”
It also demands the “immediate cessation” of all attacks by Iran against these countries and calls on Tehran to comply fully with its obligations under international law, including civilian protection.
A draft resolution offered by Russia to urge an immediate end to all military activities in Iran went nowhere, getting four Yes votes, two No, nine abstentions. Russia knew that the resolution was dead on arrival but just wanted to be obnoxious. The UN observes that to be adopted by the Security Council, a resolution must get the support of at least nine members “and no veto from the five permanent members,” which are China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
The four Yes votes: Russia, China, Somalia, Pakistan. The two No votes: the United States and Latvia. The hardy abstentions: the United Kingdom, France, Bahrain, Colombia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Denmark, Greece, Liberia, and Panama. Thank you, Latvia.
