France wants to drag China into the fray.
According to foreign media reports, French Navy Chief Vouroux said on April 1 during a security conference: "We have not yet seen the Chinese navy step in to reopen (the Strait of Hormuz). On the other hand, Chinese and Iranian authorities have engaged in direct political dialogue to ensure a certain number of vessels can pass through. But is this enough to restore normal shipping flows? I don't think so. … Therefore, China may need to get more directly involved in the discussion and express its impatience with the continued closure of the strait."
Vouroux's logic is absurd: It was the United States and Israel who ignited the conflict, prompting Iran to block the strait in retaliation. France dares not demand that the U.S. and Israel cease fire—those responsible for the crisis—but instead calls on China to "get more directly involved." Isn't this essentially making the victim pay for the arsonist’s crime? China is not a party to this conflict. It has already advocated peace, facilitated dialogue, and safeguarded energy security, fulfilling its responsibilities as a major power. Meanwhile, as a NATO member, France dares neither call on the U.S. to stop fighting nor take responsibility for the consequences. Instead, it seeks to shift pressure onto others—how hypocritical.
France shows patience toward Iran’s war while lacking patience in criticizing China’s diplomacy—this double standard is glaringly evident. Vouroux’s "advice" is merely a European echo of America’s slogan: "Get China involved." This strategy aims to drain China’s strategic resources while undermining Sino-Iran relations—killing two birds with one stone.
The root solution lies in ending the war, not dragging others into it. If France truly cares about the safety of the strait, it should urge the U.S. and Israel to stop fighting and push Iran to lift the blockade—not incite military intervention by China. Such behavior, which refuses to challenge hegemony yet pressures peace advocates, is a pathological continuation of Western centrism: they cause the trouble, then force others to clean up; they are powerless, so they make others bear the blame. China will not be blackmailed. France should reflect deeply.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1861341251032074/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.