About this episode

The episode discusses the implications of the US-Israel strikes on Iran and how it affects China's strategic position in the region.

The United States and Israel have launched strikes on Iran, killing Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and triggering a full-scale war in the Middle East. As the region descends into conflict, a fascinating debate has emerged about what this means for China: from the surge in Chinese defense stocks and weapons export opportunities, to the collapse of Beijing's landmark Saudi-Iran diplomatic agreement. Is this a strategic disaster for China, or does the chaos actually create unexpected openings? Andrea Ghiselli, research director at The ChinaMed Project and a lecturer in international politics at the University of Exeter, joins Eric to discuss the stark differences in how this conflict is discussed in China and in the Global West. 📌 Topics Covered in this Episode: The US-Israel strikes on Iran and the death of Supreme Leader Khamenei Why Chinese defense stocks surged to a 10-year high on the Shanghai Stock Exchange The "ally" myth: why China was never going to militarily defend Iran The collapse of China's landmark Saudi-Iran diplomatic détente Asymmetric warfare — why Iran's cheap drones may outlast America's expensive missiles China's energy security: oil stockpiling strategy and…

People in this episode

Host: Eric

Guest: Andrea Ghiselli

Topics covered

• US-Israel strikes on Iran
• Chinese defense stocks
• military strategy
• Saudi-Iran diplomatic relations
• energy security
• asymmetric warfare

Keywords

• Iran
• China
• US-Israel strikes
• defense stocks
• military strategy
• energy security
• asymmetric warfare
• Saudi-Iran relations

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: The ChinaMed Project, The China-Global South Project

Places: Iran, China, Saudi Arabia, United States, Israel

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