Between Hormuz and a hard place: Trump’s wedge has China talking
The US president’s call for Beijing to help protect oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz is exposing the limits of China’s carefully built-up power in the Middle East.
Donald Trump’s appeal to Xi Jinping for help in the Middle East seems designed as a wedge. Bethany Rae
Of all the countries called on by Donald Trump to help the US unclog the Strait of Hormuz, China is the odd one out.
China is clearly no regional ally like Japan and South Korea. And while not exactly an enemy of the United States, China is its only rival superpower and one viewed by hawks in Washington as a challenge to US commercial and military hegemony.
Jessica SierNorth Asia correspondentJessica Sier is the North Asia Correspondent for The Australian Financial Review. She is based in Tokyo, Japan. Jessica has previously written on technology, global capital markets and economics. Connect with Jessica on Twitter. Email Jessica at jessica.sier@afr.com
