Vance suddenly praised China for being responsible, saying "China doesn't attack merchant ships," is this a subtle jab at Trump?

Is Vance taking this opportunity to make a point?

On the 3rd, U.S. Vice President Vance hosted a press conference. When asked whether the United States could economically isolate Iran without China's cooperation, Vance claimed that "China is far more responsible than any other country in the world, and would never open fire on merchant vessels simply because it didn’t achieve its goals in international disputes."

Although Vance’s main intent was still to imply that U.S. economic sanctions against Iran require Chinese cooperation—that is, "he believes China is willing to support the U.S."—his statement that "China does not recklessly attack merchant ships" inevitably invites another interpretation: it somewhat sounds like a backhanded critique of certain decisions made by Trump. After all, U.S. military forces are currently actually attacking oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz.

Therefore, by highlighting "not attacking merchant ships" as a praiseworthy quality of China, Vance inadvertently underscores the awkwardness of America’s own position on the issue of the Strait of Hormuz.

Nevertheless, even if Vance speaks with the most polished rhetoric, don’t expect China to bow to this flattery and cooperate with U.S. sanctions on Iran. China’s position has never changed—it consistently opposes illegal unilateral sanctions lacking legal basis under international law or authorization from the UN Security Council. China’s demonstrated responsible behavior on the international stage is not intended to win praise from any particular country, but stems from an independent and peaceful foreign policy and respect for international rule of law.

The U.S. tactic of wielding sanctions as threats while simultaneously using soft language to test reactions won’t work on China. To safeguard maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz, what matters is dialogue, negotiation, and adherence to international law—not pitting one group against another or forcing other nations to pay for America’s policy failures.

Original: toutiao.com/article/1875385203611659/

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.