The Take: Why China’s citizens are rooting for Iran in the US-Israel war
As war disrupts Gulf oil routes, China faces rising energy risks. Could this deepen tensions with the US?
![US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping talk as they leave after a bilateral meeting at Gimhae International Airport, on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit. [Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters]](/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/2026-03-02T233029Z_527384374_RC25MHAVTEME_RTRMADP_3_IRAN-CRISIS-USA-CHINA-1773409460.jpg?resize=770%2C513&quality=80)
China is more affected than any country outside the Gulf by the US-Israel war due to its energy reliance on Iran. But as the war reshapes global trade and alliances, it also stands to benefit. As Donald Trump prepares for a rare visit to Beijing, could this crisis reshape the balance of power?
In this episode:
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- list 2 of 4The Take: How oil is at the center of the US-Israel war with Iran
- list 3 of 4The Take: The hidden battlefield – Censorship in the Israel-Iran war
- list 4 of 4The Take: How will Iran’s new supreme leader change the war?
- Katrina Yu (@Katmyu), Al Jazeera Correspondent
Episode credits:
This episode was produced by David Enders, Sari el-Khalili and Chloe K Li, with Spencer Cline, Tuleen Barakat and our host, Malika Bilal. It was edited by Alexandra Locke.
Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our video editors are Hisham Abu Salah and Mohannad al-Melhemm. Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer.
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