Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday voiced strong concern over Israel’s recent military actions against Iran, warning that continued escalation threatens regional stability and undermines international interests.
Speaking during a high-level summit with Central Asian leaders in the Kazakh capital of Astana, Xi said China is “deeply worried” about the intensifying conflict between Israel and Iran.
His comments marked Beijing’s first public statement on the latest round of military exchanges in the region, which erupted last Friday.
“Israel’s military operation against Iran has sharply worsened tensions in the Middle East,” Xi said, according to China’s official Xinhua News Agency. “We oppose any actions that infringe upon the sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity of other countries.”
In a bilateral meeting with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Xi warned that military conflict is not a viable path to resolve disputes and called for restraint by all parties involved. “Rising instability in the region does not serve the common interests of the international community,” he said.
The Chinese president’s statement comes as Israeli airstrikes continue to target Iranian military infrastructure, prompting fears that the confrontation could spiral into a broader regional war. China has historically positioned itself as a neutral actor in Middle East affairs but has growing economic and energy stakes in the region—especially with Iran.
According to Chinese state sources, Xi emphasized China’s readiness to work with all sides to prevent further escalation and to help restore peace and stability in the Middle East. “China is willing to play a constructive role in bringing the region back to stability,” he said.
China’s concern over the Israel-Iran conflict also reflects deeper strategic calculations. The Chinese economy depends heavily on Iranian oil exports, and any disruption in supply chains or spike in global energy prices would likely worsen China’s ongoing economic slowdown. Beijing has invested heavily in energy infrastructure linked to Iran, including through its Belt and Road Initiative.
Although Xi did not mention the energy dimension directly in his remarks, Chinese officials have privately acknowledged that continued instability in the Gulf could pose a direct threat to national energy security. More than half of China’s crude oil imports from the Middle East come from or pass through the Persian Gulf region.
China has recently strengthened diplomatic ties with Gulf states, including Oman, Saudi Arabia, and Iran itself. In recent days, Beijing also reached out to Oman with a message that “we cannot sit by” and let the Israel-Iran situation spiral out of control, according to the Foreign Ministry of Oman.
While China has no formal defense alliance with Tehran, Beijing has been a consistent voice against Western-led military interventions in the Middle East and has supported diplomatic alternatives in regional disputes.
Xi’s remarks reinforce China’s broader narrative as a counterbalance to U.S. influence in the region—urging dialogue and criticizing unilateral military action. However, critics argue that Beijing’s engagement has been largely rhetorical and lacks the political leverage needed to de-escalate major regional conflicts.