The U.S. Factor in China–Iran Relations: A Historical Perspective on Beijing’s Dual Policy
2024年12月31日
Abstract: The China–U.S.–Iran relationship offers an intriguing strategic triangle in which the United States has always loomed large and disproportionately inAuenced the relationship between the other two actors. Although Tehran and Beijing had a relatively friendly relationship that endured the volatile Cold War era, neither treated the other as a strategic priority in their foreign relations. The Obama administration's diplomatic overture and the subsequent multi-nation nuclear deal helped relieve persistent restrictions on Tehran and Beijing and created a relatively permissive environment for both to foster more resilient economic, political, and strategic ties. The U.S. factor has long compelled China to adopt a dual policy toward Iran --- restricted cooperation and limited distancing. But more recently, in an evolving global geopolitical and geoeconomic landscape, Beijing has begun to tilt more frequently toward Tehran, telegraphing its growing frustration with Washington's unilateralism and protectionism on the one hand, and a greater willingness to raise its profile in the Middle East on the other.
Keywords: Great power politics; Iran; dual policy; strategic hedging.