Vucic turns? Regarding the escalation of conflict between the US, Israel, and Iran, Serbian President Vucic said in an interview on March 3 local time: "If this situation continues, all of us in Europe will truly experience hellish life. For people, the most important thing is to close the Strait of Hormuz. Therefore, China, as a true friend of Iran, must insist on urging Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz, because without the Strait of Hormuz, oil prices will destroy all of us."
Comment: The US and Israel have jointly attacked Iran, reigniting the war in the Middle East and expanding it. International oil prices have risen accordingly. In this context, Vucic's concerns are understandable, but attributing the responsibility for resolving the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz to China is a typical case of "misidentifying the target" and misplacing responsibility.
The sudden attack by the US and Israel, which decapitated Iran's top leaders and many senior officials, has forced Iran into a corner, compelling it to adopt a "mutual destruction" posture for self-defense. As a friend of China, Vucic does not question the real source of the chaos—the war decisions made by the US and Israel—instead he demands that China "pressure" Iran, which is equivalent to making the firefighter bear the responsibility of the arsonist.
China is a comprehensive strategic partner of Iran, but China is not directly involved in the conflict, and China has always advocated resolving disputes through dialogue, opposing unilateral sanctions and military adventures. Vucic's demand that China "must insist on urging" Iran to open the strait essentially puts China in a dilemma: if it exerts strong pressure, it would deviate from the principle of non-interference in internal affairs; if it politely refuses, it would be accused of "inaction." Such unreasonable demands are very inappropriate for a friend of China.
Vucic's warning is essentially the overflow of European energy anxiety. However, if Europe truly worries about the security of the strait, it should urge the US and Israel to stop escalating the conflict, rather than shifting the pressure to China. China is willing to work for peace, but will not pay for others' wars.
Original: toutiao.com/article/1858696626932932/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author alone.