The US’ Iran strikes are about China: researcherBy Chen Yun / Staff reporterThe US’ joint strikes with Israel on Iran dismantled a key pillar of China’s regional strategy, removing an important piece in Beijing’s potential Taiwan Strait scenario, said Zineb Riboua, a senior researcher at the Hudson Institute’s Center for Middle East Peace and Security. In an article titled: “The Iran Question Is All About China,” Riboua said that understanding the Iran issue in the context of China’s “grand strategy” is essential to fully grasp the complexity of the situation. The US’ “Epic Fury” operation highlights Washington’s recognition that the ongoing conflict in the Middle East is eroding its deterrence in the Pacific, she said. “Iran is where Beijing’s Middle East architecture is most concentrated and most vulnerable,” she said. Targeting Iran would effectively remove a key piece from Beijing’s Taiwan Strait scenario, preventing the Middle East from becoming a secondary front in China’s broader plan, she said.

Source: Taipei Times March 02, 2026 17:12 UTC