Beijing, Aug 5 China, which has for long claimed of having a “noninterference” foreign policy and not providing direct military assistance to nations engaged in conflict, reportedly supplied batteries for surface-to-air missiles to Iran in exchange for oil during the recent conflict with Israel, a new report has cited. This comes after Beijing is already facing heat for its alleged involvement in Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine and backing Pakistan in its conflict with India in May following the heinous April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.
“As an expert specializing in China’s grand strategy, I think it is highly possible that China would offer Iran military support while denying it publicly. Such plausible deniability would allow Beijing to assert military influence and showcase some of its hardware, while deflecting international criticism and preserving diplomatic flexibility,” Linggong Kong, a leading researcher on international relations and China’s grand strategy, wrote in ‘One World Outlook’.
“But the tactic works only so far. As indirect evidence accumulates, as many suggest it is, such covert action may gradually develop into an open secret – leading to what scholars term ‘implausible deniability’, where denial is no longer credible even if it is still officially maintained,” he added.
Shattering Beijing’s claims of not providing arms to any party involved in a war, the writer emphasised that while the Chinese Embassy in Israel has denied the reports of military connection with Tehran stating that China opposes the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and does not export arms to countries at war, the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs is yet to issue an official statement on the alleged transfer.
The report highlighted that China has quietly supported Russia during its ongoing war with Ukraine even though it claims of being neutral since the conflict began in 2022.
The ‘One World Outlook’ report detailed that China has reportedly provided large quantities of dual-use goods – goods that can be used for civilian and military purposes to Russia to enhance its offensive and defensive capabilities and boost China’s military-industrial production. China has also allegedly supplied satellite imagery to assist Russia amid the ongoing war with Ukraine.
Beijing, the report mentioned, presented itself as a neutral party in the India-Pakistan conflict too and called for restraint on both sides.
“But in practice, China is allied with Pakistan. And the direct military support it has provided to Lahore appears driven by China’s desire to curb India’s regional influence, counterbalance the growing US–India strategic partnership and protect the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor, a massive bilateral infrastructure project,” it said.
Similarly, China and Iran signed a 25-year comprehensive cooperation agreement that covered trade, energy and security, showcasing the strategic value that Beijing places on Tehran.
“From Beijing’s perspective, Tehran presents a counterbalance to the influence of the US and its allies – especially Israel and Saudi Arabia – in the region and helps divert Western resources and attention away from China,” the report mentioned.
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