An Investigation into the Stability of the Strategic Ties between Iran and China as two Asian Superpowers

Abstract

China and Iran are important geopolitical actors as well as major players in the global energy market. [1] In recent years, the Sino-Iranian relationship has broadened and deepened. In recent years, China’s official position towards the Middle East is that it has intrinsic strategic interest there. [2] The Chinese definition of “strategic” in this instance, however, is a rather narrow description of what its interests really entail regarding Iran. China’s relations with Iran have been strongly influenced by its overall strategic calculations and the Chinese have often used their relations with Iran in terms of leverage, punishment, or balancing in its other strategic dealings. There are certain notable similarities between China and Iran with regard to the political milieu in which the relationship takes place. From a political standpoint, both countries’ leaders have the same paramount objective: regime survival. In China’s case, this means the continued rule of a “permanent party”; for Iran, it refers to the power of the “clerical security establishment.” For both, regime survival depends on economic prosperity, which depends largely on energy: China must secure enough energy to fuel rapid economic growth, and Iran must find a market for its abundant energy resources. The two countries are also similar in that both are aspiring powers: China aspires to become a world power, while Iran aspires to be the predominant player in its region. The development of Sino-Iranian relations over the past two decades is part of the steady expansion of ties between China and the wider Middle East, and more broadly, between the countries of East and West Asia. At the same time, the Sino-Iranian relationship has distinctive origins and characteristics, not to mention potentially far-reaching implications. Yet this relationship is poorly understood and very little has been written specifically about China and Iran. [3] The present paper attempts at investigating the stability of the strategic ties between Iran and China as two Asian superpowers.