China issues a pointed response to US reckless actions toward Iran

Beijing’s top diplomat has condemned the war in the Middle East and urged the United States (US) to promptly resolve its differences with Beijing. In a press conference in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that the war sparked by the US and Israel’s attack on Iran should never have happened. “A strong punch does not mean sound judgement. The world cannot return to the law of the jungle,” he told reporters, according to AFP on Sunday (8/3/2026). Wang Yi delivered the comments during the annual political gathering in China, known as the “Two Sessions”, which began this week. The parallel meetings of China’s parliament and the political advisory body are closely watched for signals about the geopolitical strategies of Chinese leaders, as tensions with the US and regional rivals persist and the wars in the Middle East and Ukraine rage. “This year is indeed an important year for China-US relations,” Wang said. The relationship between China and the US has been tense since US President Donald Trump returned to the White House last year. This was followed by a trade war that led the two countries to impose reciprocal tariffs on each other’s products. Earlier, China condemned the US and Israel’s military actions in Iran, which maintains diplomatic and trade links with Tehran. China also condemned in particular the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Wang told reporters that China and the US must make careful preparations, create suitable conditions, manage the differences, and eliminate unnecessary interference. He also stressed that the China-Russia relationship, criticised by Western countries for allegedly backing the war in Ukraine, remains solid and unwavering. “Amid a volatile and complex international environment, China-Russia relations remain firm and unshakable,” he concluded.