China outfoxing US in West Asia? Washington asks Beijing to pull Tehran away from Israel-Hamas war

The United States has reportedly urged China to leverage its relationships in West Asia, particularly with Iran, to prevent the expansion of Israel-Hamas war in the region. The reported request comes days after US President Joe Biden's wartime Israel visit failed to even establish a leadership-to-leadership engagement with Arab leaders.

The diplomatic effort took place during what has been the first visit by a Chinese foreign minister to Washington since 2018. 

Wang held extensive meetings with the US President Joe Biden, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan. Among the topics discussed was the possibility of a summit between Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in San Francisco the following month.

Also watch | China & US need to resume comprehensive dialogue: China FM Wang Yi | World News | WION

"We pressed China to take a more constructive approach, and that would include of course their engagements with the Iranians to urge calm," a senior US official was quoted as saying by Financial Times after the meetings with Wang.

"China obviously has relations in the region . . . We think it should be using those connections to call for calm on all sides. And I think some of their comments publicly have focused in one particular direction."

Israel-Hamas war: What is Washington's primary concern?

The primary worry for the US is the potential for Iranian military support to Hamas or Hezbollah, which could escalate the conflict in the region. 

The US officials have encouraged China to take a more constructive approach in its engagement with Iran, advocating for de-escalation.

Has Beijing's influence outgrown Washington's in West Asia?

In March 2023, China outfoxed the US-led West after it succeeded in brokering an Iran-Saudi Arabia deal to restore the bilateral ties between Shia and Sunni powerhouses respectively. 

Recently, Washington's waning political capital in the region was in spotlight after a four-way leaders' summit between US President Joe Biden, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, Jordan's King Abdullah II, and Palestine Authority President Mahmoud Abbas was unilaterally cancelled by host Jordan after a deadly mass casualty at a Gaza hospital earlier this month, even though Israel presented evidence that it had no role and a rocket misfired from Gaza had led to the tragedy.

The unilateral cancellation of Biden's visit with Arab leaders occurred despite US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's shuttle diplomacy in the region when he established in-person contact with leaders in the region.

On October 27, China issued an unprecedented statement saying it will "strongly oppose any external forces interfering in Iran's internal affairs", in a veiled reference to Washington's warnings to Iran against indulging in conflict between Israel and Hamas. 

Thereby, Beijing appears to have an edge over Washington when it comes to securing a goal towards a semblance of stability in West Asia.

Wang Yi China visit: What else is on the cards?

The discussions reportedly touched upon regional concerns, including actions in the South China Sea and the need for peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.

Furthermore, the US raised the issue of counter-narcotics with China, urging Beijing to crack down on the export of chemicals used in the production of Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid responsible for a significant number of deaths among the young Americans.

Another topic of importance in the discussions was the re-establishment of military-to-military channels.

The US expressed its desire to reopen these channels, which China had previously shut down after then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan the previous y

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.