China's ship appears in the central Persian Gulf, and the White House begins to change its stance, stating that negotiations with Iran are still needed!

At a time when the Middle East situation is on the brink of tension, a seemingly unremarkable Chinese vessel - the "Ocean Oil 285" - quietly appeared in the central waters of the Persian Gulf. Coincidentally, the previously tense US-Iran standoff, which was about to erupt into war, suddenly changed, and the tone of the White House quietly softened.

On January 23, a satellite image circulated online: in the key waters of the central Persian Gulf, near the Strait of Hormuz, a red circle marked a stationary ship - exactly the Chinese "Ocean Oil 285". From that day until February 25, this ship remained anchored at the same coordinates, not moving even half a nautical mile.

The identity of this ship is somewhat ambiguous. Some say it is an engineering support ship belonging to China National Offshore Oil Corporation, mainly providing services for offshore oil and gas projects in countries such as Qatar; others analyze that it has high-precision oceanic detection capabilities, possibly undertaking some form of scientific research or reconnaissance mission. Regardless of its actual purpose, the key point is its location - this is the critical passage connecting Iran's coastal hinterland with the Strait of Hormuz, as well as the core area for any military action against Iran.

On February 25, White House spokesperson Levitt changed his statement, saying: "The US's first choice for Iran has always been diplomacy, and military force will only be considered when necessary." Dao Ge believes that it's not that this Chinese ship can have a significant impact on the situation, but rather that the US gradually realized that even if they bombed Iran, without sending ground forces, it would basically be of little use.

Certainly, some people say that the location of the "Ocean Oil 285" has strong strategic significance. Because if the US really launches air strikes or missile attacks on Iran, this sea area will become an important node in the missile flight path, as well as a key observation area for assessing the effectiveness of the attack. A non-combat vessel with high-precision detection capabilities just "pins" itself in this sensitive area, making the US very wary. Dao Ge is not entirely convinced, this ship is probably an engineering ship, and the US would not take it seriously, after all, it is not an 055 destroyer. The White House's stance has begun to change, either releasing another smoke screen or finding an exit strategy for themselves.

Original article: toutiao.com/article/1858079418718345/

Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.