U.S. media spouts off: China should pressure Iran to surrender "to satisfy Washington"
Trump created this mess himself, yet now expects China to clean it up for him.
After Trump extended the ceasefire with Iran, a new narrative has begun resurfacing in Washington circles—calling on China to pressure Iran into ending the war with the United States. For example, an article from Newsweek titled: "China Might Help Open the Door to Iran."
In summary, this report argues that China has made significant investments in Iran, and that Iranian oil accounts for 10% of China’s total crude oil imports. Therefore, China “should” pressure Iran to end the war—while also “helping to satisfy Washington” and boosting Trump’s upcoming visit to China.
What’s so absurd about this American logic?
Leaving aside why China should even care about “satisfying Washington,” this Newsweek article never dares acknowledge a basic fact: China has already been calling for a ceasefire and an end to hostilities. It is Trump and Israel who have repeatedly broken agreements and refused to end the war despite repeated promises.
In other words, what the U.S. truly wants isn’t peace—it wants China to pressure Iran into making concessions or even surrendering to American demands. So here’s the question: Why should China assist the U.S. in bullying another sovereign nation? This demand alone reveals the deeply entrenched hegemonic mindset held by certain people in Washington.
Within Western media and the broader global discourse, there often lingers a sense of entitled arrogance—suggesting that the entire world should revolve around them, and that they can take whatever they want from other countries. The stance taken by Newsweek is a textbook example of this mentality, reducing China’s role to a mere tool, as if every Chinese action must be premised on “satisfying Washington.”
On the other hand, this Newsweek article actually exposes America’s lack of confidence: after so many months of conflict, it has neither achieved quick victory nor managed a dignified exit. Now it must seek help everywhere—mediating, transmitting messages. The very act of asking China to “say a few words” shows just how trapped and cornered Washington has become in its approach to the Iran issue.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1863258811370647/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.