
What China learns from Trump’s war in Iran
From ABC News Daily by ABC Australia
April 28, 2026 · 15 min
About this episode
The episode discusses China's involvement in Iran amidst the conflict and its implications for US-China relations.
China buys lots of Iran’s oil, but it’s trying to avoid getting drawn into the war, instead calling for de-escalation and peace in the Middle East. So, what role is Beijing actually playing, how is its economy affected and what is it learning about the United States’ military? Today, Neil Thomas, an expert in China’s politics from the Asia Society Policy Institute on Xi Jinping’s strategy and standing in the world. Featured: Neil Thomas, fellow on Chinese Politics at the Asia Society Policy Institute’s Center for China Analysis
People in this episode
Guest: Neil Thomas
Topics covered
- China
- Iran
- US military
- Middle East peace
- Xi Jinping
- oil trade
Keywords
- China
- Iran
- Trump
- US military
- Xi Jinping
- oil
- de-escalation
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Asia Society Policy Institute
Places: China, Iran, United States, Middle East
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