{"id":2581321,"date":"2026-03-18T13:23:01","date_gmt":"2026-03-18T17:23:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/china-hopes-trumps-gamble-on-iran-and-cuba-loses-the-us-more-than-it-gains\/"},"modified":"2026-03-18T13:24:13","modified_gmt":"2026-03-18T17:24:13","slug":"china-hopes-trumps-gamble-on-iran-and-cuba-loses-the-us-more-than-it-gains","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/china-hopes-trumps-gamble-on-iran-and-cuba-loses-the-us-more-than-it-gains\/","title":{"rendered":"China hopes Trump&#8217;s gamble on Iran and Cuba loses the US more than it gains"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">30<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fchina-hopes-trumps-gamble-on-iran-and-cuba-loses-the-us-more-than-it-gains%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2581321&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The article analyzes how Beijing watches President trump\u2019s aggressive moves in Iran, Venezuela, and Cuba as a geopolitical gamble that could widen China\u2019s room to maneuver. It argues that China, while not eager to rush to the aid of its allies, hopes the United States will overreach and lose influence, allowing Beijing to gain leverage in the region after the dust settles. Washington\u2019s actions around Iran and Cuba are seen as a test of U.S. staying power, with China\u2019s energy interests-especially through the Strait of Hormuz, which handles a large share of China\u2019s oil and LNG imports-driving a preference for diplomacy and stability over open confrontation. The piece notes that China has offered humanitarian aid and emphasizes sovereignty while signaling it could play a meaningful post-war role in Iran\u2019s reconstruction, possibly aligning more closely with Beijing. Expert commentary suggests that China views a weakened or redirected U.S. influence as potentially favorable, but remains concerned about energy security and diplomatic partners, especially if Iran\u2019s leadership shifts toward the West. The article also describes China\u2019s symbolic and strategic responses to Cuba, including energy and political considerations, and reports on Trump postponing a China visit while U.S. officials downplay any direct link to Iran, leaving Beijing watching closely how the war and diplomacy unfold.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">China hopes Trump&rsquo;s gamble on Iran and Cuba loses the US more than it gains<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2535186\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/4493535\/trump-delay-china-trip-month-or-so-iran-war\/\">President Donald Trump&rsquo;s<\/a> military operations around the globe are a geopolitical gamble, watched intently by Beijing, which hopes the United States has gotten in over its head.<\/p>\n<p>The Chinese Communist Party has been left on the sidelines while the White House abducted Venezuelan President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/nicolas-maduro\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"2252\">Nicolas Maduro<\/a>, decapitated <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/iran\/\">Iran<\/a>, and now saber-rattles against <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/cuba\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"212\">Cuba<\/a>. China has no desire to stick its neck out to aid these minor allies, but it hopes that, when the dust settles, the U.S. will find it has lost more than it has gained.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/4495849\/israeli-leadership-military-blank-check-target-iran-official\/\">Israeli leadership give military blank check to target any Iranian official without additional approval<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/4495510\/israel-hits-world-largest-natural-gas-field-iran\/\">Israel hits world&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/al-gore-says-climate-deniers-are-like-uvalde-police-officers-who-didnt-rescue-children\/\" title=\"Al Gore Says \u2018Climate Deniers\u2019 Are Like Uvalde Police Officers Who Didn\u2019t Rescue Children\">largest natural gas field<\/a> in Iran, escalating energy infrastructure strikes<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/4495280\/idf-targets-iranian-minister-khatib-hamas-commander\/\">IDF says Iranian intelligence minister Esmaeil Khatib killed in overnight strikes<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>&ldquo;The assessment by China of the Trump administration, even prior to the Iran invasion, is that Trump was accelerating the decline of the United States &mdash; and so they&rsquo;re happy to sit back and watch Trump doing this,&rdquo; Ely Ratner, a principal at The Marathon Initiative and former assistant secretary of defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs, told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">President Donald Trump, left, and Chinese President Xi Jinping pose ahead of their summit talk in Busan, South Korea, on Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025. (AP Photo\/Mark Schiefelbein)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Ratner continued: &ldquo;Events in Venezuela and Iran obviously affect them in terms of their diplomatic relationships, their energy supplies &mdash; but net-net, they likely view these as positive for them in terms of competition with the United States.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/china\/\">China<\/a> is a preeminent ally of the Iranian regime and one of the biggest oil importers for the Islamic Republic. Beijing was among the first world powers to voice outrage when several of Iran&rsquo;s highest-ranking officials were assassinated in the first strikes of Operation Epic Fury, but the situation grew more complicated when Tehran retaliated with scattershot attacks on neighboring countries and <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/4492633\/donald-trump-strait-of-hormuz-china-visit-xi-jinping\/\">closed the Strait of Hormuz<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The Strait of Hormuz&rsquo;s closure has wide-reaching consequences for energy markets and for states reliant on exports from the region, but one customer of particular interest is China, which imports as much as&nbsp;40 percent&nbsp;of its oil and&nbsp;30 percent&nbsp;of its <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/bidens-concerning-foreign-policy\/\" title=\"Biden\u2019s Concerning Foreign Policy\">liquid natural gas<\/a> through the strait,&rdquo; <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.csis.org\/analysis\/no-one-not-even-beijing-getting-through-strait-hormuz\">according<\/a> to the Center for Strategic and International Studies.<\/p>\n<p>China&rsquo;s <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/4483524\/china-blusters-iran-us-strikes-xi-jinping-economic-diplomatic-bind\/\">rhetoric on the conflict<\/a> is identical to its messaging on all geopolitical developments that put it at odds with the West: condemning actions deemed outside the international norms, advocating an immediate end to hostilities, and demanding diplomatic rapprochement with respect for sovereignty on all sides.<\/p>\n<p>Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fmprc.gov.cn\/eng\/xw\/fyrbt\/lxjzh\/202603\/t20260317_11876423.html\">announced<\/a> on Tuesday that Beijing will deploy humanitarian aid to Iran, Jordan, Lebanon, and Iraq, hoping it will &ldquo;help ease the <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >difficult humanitarian situation facing<\/a> the people there.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The Chinese Communist Party is hoping the U.S. won&rsquo;t be able to stick the landing on Operation Epic Fury, that it will fail to shift the Iranian government toward a more pro-Western position. This could allow China to further entrench itself in the region as an alternative to U.S. influence.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;China will play a significant role after the war, with or without U.S. consent,&rdquo; the Washington Institute for Near East Policy speculated in a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtoninstitute.org\/policy-analysis\/how-china-could-shorten-irans-path-military-recovery-after-war\">report<\/a> on Tuesday. &ldquo;After the devastation inflicted by the allies on Iran&rsquo;s military industry, Iran will very likely seek to rebuild with the help of its partner China, and perhaps also North Korea, in return for oil.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>But with the U.S. campaign <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/4494703\/iranian-leaders-hiding-kazem-jalali-mojtaba-khamenei-dead-officials\/\">scoring two more scalps<\/a> this week from among the Iranian regime&rsquo;s highest ranks, National Security Council Secretary Ali Larijani and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Basij commander Gholamreza Soleimani, and with Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei still missing in action, the U.S. goal of installing a friendlier government in Tehran does not seem totally far-fetched.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I think there is an outcome here in which, at a geopolitical level, this is a net loss for China. Particularly given their energy insecurity, their lack of strong diplomatic partners around the world,&rdquo; Ratner said. &ldquo;If a more pro-Western leadership were to come into place in Iran, and if Iran was less of a secure energy supplier to China, then that would certainly be a worrisome outcome for them.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Trump is already <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/4493536\/trump-honor-of-taking-cuba\/\">calling his next shot<\/a>, saying, &ldquo;I can do anything I want&rdquo; with Cuba, an important, symbolic ally of China.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Taking Cuba. I mean, whether I free it, take it,&rdquo; he said, &ldquo;they&rsquo;re a very weakened nation right now.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>China is <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/world\/2026\/02\/28\/china-cuba-solar-trump-oil-blockade\/\">pouring<\/a> solar energy resources into its communist ally, hoping to offset the widespread energy crisis caused by the latest U.S. sanctions and embargoes.<\/p>\n<p>The Cuban regime, initially defiant in the face of Trump&rsquo;s bellicose rhetoric, has begun to indicate it&rsquo;s willing to negotiate amid reports that even basic civic services, such as garbage collection, are failing on the island. Such a scenario, compounded with the fall of Maduro and decapitation of Iran, would be another blow to Chinese credibility on the world stage.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">People watch the sunset during a blackout in Havana, Cuba, on Wednesday, March 16, 2026. (AP Photo\/Ramon Espinosa)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s a long-standing relationship between China and Cuba. Obviously, they hold on to their communist roots,&rdquo; Ratner said. &ldquo;From a practical perspective, China is not politically or economically or militarily reliant on Cuba for anything, but it would have significant symbolic value.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>President Miguel Diaz-Canel <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/4491199\/cuba-dictator-talk-us-trump-friendly-takeover\/\">said this week<\/a> that Cuban officials &ldquo;have recently held conversations with representatives of the United States government&rdquo; and are seeking to find &ldquo;solutions through dialogue to the bilateral differences we have between the two nations.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/4494703\/iranian-leaders-hiding-kazem-jalali-mojtaba-khamenei-dead-officials\/\">IRAN&rsquo;S LEADERS DON&rsquo;T NEED TO HIDE, ENVOY INSISTS, DESPITE MIA KHAMENEI AND DEAD OFFICIALS<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Trump has announced that his planned April summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping will be postponed, suggesting he is <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/4493535\/trump-delay-china-trip-month-or-so-iran-war\/\">displeased with Beijing&rsquo;s unwillingness<\/a> to help force open the Strait of Hormuz.<\/p>\n<p>Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent later clarified that postponing the meeting is not related to China&rsquo;s role in Iran and that &ldquo;if the meeting for some reason is rescheduled, it would be because the president wants to remain in [Washington] D.C. to coordinate the war effort.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>China, which typically withholds formal announcements of state visits until much closer to the date, has affirmed only that it remains &ldquo;in communication&rdquo; with the White House regarding the visit.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>China hopes Trump&#8217;s Iran\/Cuba gambit hurts the US<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3468,"featured_media":2581322,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/AP26035576981790.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[76073,76075,76074,69735,74259],"class_list":["post-2581321","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner","tag-china-us-relations","tag-cuba-policy-2","tag-iran-policy-2","tag-trump-administration-2","tag-us-foreign-policy-2"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/AP26035576981790.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2581321","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3468"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2581321"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2581321\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2581325,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2581321\/revisions\/2581325"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2581322"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2581321"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2581321"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2581321"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}