The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, responding to foreign media reports that China may have directly supplied weapons to Iran during the war, stated that “China takes a cautious stance on the export of military supplies,” calling the claim “malicious slander.”

At a regular press briefing on the 13th, Guo Jakun, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said, “China has consistently taken a prudent and responsible approach to the export of military supplies and enforces strict controls in accordance with national export-control laws and international obligations,” adding, “We oppose groundless smears and malicious attempts to make associations.”

Guo said the Strait of Hormuz “is an important international trade route for goods and energy; the fundamental cause of disruptions to passage through the strait lies in the war with Iran, and the way to resolve this issue is to halt the fighting as soon as possible,” adding, “All countries should remain calm and exercise restraint, and China wishes to continue to play an active and constructive role.”

The New York Times (NYT) reported on the 11th (local time), citing government sources, that U.S. intelligence agencies in recent weeks had obtained information indicating that China may have provided man-portable surface-to-air missiles to Iran. CNN reported on the 10th that U.S. intelligence had detected signs that China was preparing to provide Iran with a new air-defense system within the next few weeks.

U.S. President Donald Trump said in a Fox News interview on the 12th that he had seen the reports and “considers the possibility low.” He added, ”If such a development is confirmed, we will take strong action,“ saying, “If it is confirmed that China is providing military support to Iran, I will impose a 50% tariff.”

Among Chinese experts, there is a discernible skepticism about the possibility that China actually supplied weapons to Iran. For China, competition with the United States is a long-term task, whereas the immediate imperatives are to reduce unemployment and grow the economy, for which stability in the Middle East is essential. It is also assessed as unlikely that China would recklessly escalate tensions a month before a summit with the United States.

State media such as the People’s Daily are also closely watching and prominently covering the rise in domestic oil prices. According to Bloomberg, China is also feeling the effects of the war, as it moves to restrict exports of sulfuric acid, a raw material for phosphate fertilizers, to avoid a fertilizer crunch ahead of next month’s planting season.

Bonnie Glaser, director of the Indo-Pacific program at the German Marshall Fund (GMF), shared the NYT article on X, writing, “If the reporting is accurate, it implies that China sold weapons to Iran with the approval of President Xi Jinping,” adding, “I am skeptical.”