Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in China today, May 6, 2026, marking his first visit since the outbreak of the US-Israel war against Tehran. The visit comes just days before the scheduled trip of US President Donald Trump to Beijing. China’s top diplomat, Wang Yi, met with Araghchi on Wednesday morning (local time), according to the state news agency Xinhua. Chinese state media had announced the visit late Tuesday night, citing a Foreign Ministry statement that the invitation originated from Beijing. However, the official briefing did not include specific details regarding the agenda. The Iranian Foreign Ministry stated that the talks would cover bilateral relations, as well as regional and international issues. "This meeting is deeply strategic," said Amir Handjani, a board member of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft. "Tehran and Beijing are aligning their interests ahead of the Trump summit with Xi Jinping, and the timing is deliberate."
Trade and energy in the Persian Gulf
Concurrently, China is seeking stability in the Persian Gulf to protect trade and energy flows, Handjani noted. "The Chinese leadership wants tankers moving and trade flowing from the Persian Gulf to Asian markets," he said. "There is no appetite to deal with an inflationary shock and the risk of recession that a prolonged blockade in the region would trigger." Wang and Araghchi have held at least three telephone conversations since the start of the war on February 28. Beijing has repeatedly called for an immediate ceasefire and the free passage of commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz. In late April, Chinese President Xi Jinping called for "orderly transit" through the critical waterway. Before the war, approximately 20% of the world's oil and liquified natural gas passed through the Straits. However, in recent weeks, commercial traffic has significantly decreased. China, the world's largest buyer of Gulf oil and gas, has absorbed the shocks from the Hormuz crisis, with domestic reserves and a diversified energy mix acting as a "cushion."
US pressure and Beijing’s balancing act
Ahead of Trump’s highly anticipated visit to China on May 14–15, the US President's advisors have urged Beijing to exert pressure on Iran to restore commercial navigation. A director at a Beijing-affiliated think tank previously told CNBC that China possesses neither the capability nor the intention to pressure either side toward negotiations, despite its role in facilitating a temporary ceasefire last month.
Tehran’s message to Washington
For Tehran, the visit to China is a way to show the US that "it is not isolated and has friends and options," according to Danny Russel, a distinguished fellow at the Asia Society Policy Institute. As he explained, the Iranian leadership seeks to strengthen its negotiating position in the confrontation with Washington and deter new American attacks. Tehran is expected to seek assurances from Beijing regarding oil flows, financial channels, and diplomatic support against potential new US military action, Russel added. In exchange, Beijing is expected to urge Iran to stop threats against Gulf infrastructure and commercial shipping, and to move toward the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
Escalation before the summit and economic stakes
For Xi Jinping, the visit may be an opportunity to present China as a responsible power ahead of the Trump visit, while simultaneously limiting risks for Beijing itself, Russel noted. The meeting takes place at a time when the two sides are exchanging pressure before the summit. In an unprecedented retaliatory move, China responded to US sanctions against Chinese refineries buying Iranian oil by activating a "blocking rule" for the first time, calling on companies not to comply with US sanctions. These conflicting directives generally "put American companies in the position of having to choose between compliance with the US regulatory framework or China's," said Han Shen Lin, China country director for The Asia Group. The upcoming Trump summit in Beijing—which was delayed over a month due to the war in Iran—may represent a critical opportunity for the American President to reduce tensions and secure commitments from China for purchases of American agricultural products, industrial goods, and energy ahead of the November midterm elections. However, an escalation surrounding Iran poses the risk of derailing this plan, analysts warn. "Even if Trump believes the Chinese are simply providing diplomatic cover while sustaining Iran economically, he is at a disadvantage," Russel concluded. "He needs Beijing to restrain Tehran, not empower it."
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