How Can Washington Gain China’s Vote?
China will agree with a new resolution against Iran only if…By Ali Khorram, foreign affairs analyst
For some, Hillary Clinton’s remarks on China within the recent weeks may appear to be paradoxical. I don’t think so. Diplomacy is all about carrots and sticks and using the right lever at the right moment. Americans are well aware of this diplomatic principle
. US and the European Union are trying to handle Iran’ nuclear case with both diplomacy and pressure. It is just a matter of time which comes to the fore and which is shelved. This elementary principle explains Clinton’s outwardly paradoxical stance.
But what about China’s support for more powerful sanctions against Iran? Americans may think they have had some sort of progress, but the reality is that China and the United States have their own cards. There is no ‘strategic patience’ as some observers have mentioned] shown by either side in this diplomatic chess. Strategic patience is applied when one side possesses winning cards while the other is left empty-handed. But in this situation, both China and United States have enough cards to run a clever game against each other. China plays with Iran’s nuclear program while US wields Taiwan.
However, it is economy, where China and the United States try to play with their best cards. Tibet, Taiwan and Iran’s nuclear program are all used to masquerade this fierce battle running between the Americans and Chinese.
China and a new resolution against Iran
At this moment, China may agree with a bland resolution against Iran. Americans who have always spearheaded the approval of tougher sanctions against Iran may not pressurize China to support something more powerful this time. The new resolution may be only a copy of the previous ones which China had approved.
So on the one hand, we have Americans who don’t want to lose face and see their efforts vanish in a puff of smoke; and on the other, there is Beijing that doesn’t want to yield to US pressures. Washington may find out after a while its endeavors are in vain and compromises on a symbolic UN Security Council resolution. That will be a win-win game for both parties. But it is not clear which side manages to bring the other on its track in dealing with Iran.
. US and the European Union are trying to handle Iran’ nuclear case with both diplomacy and pressure. It is just a matter of time which comes to the fore and which is shelved. This elementary principle explains Clinton’s outwardly paradoxical stance.
But what about China’s support for more powerful sanctions against Iran? Americans may think they have had some sort of progress, but the reality is that China and the United States have their own cards. There is no ‘strategic patience’ as some observers have mentioned] shown by either side in this diplomatic chess. Strategic patience is applied when one side possesses winning cards while the other is left empty-handed. But in this situation, both China and United States have enough cards to run a clever game against each other. China plays with Iran’s nuclear program while US wields Taiwan.
However, it is economy, where China and the United States try to play with their best cards. Tibet, Taiwan and Iran’s nuclear program are all used to masquerade this fierce battle running between the Americans and Chinese.
China and a new resolution against Iran
At this moment, China may agree with a bland resolution against Iran. Americans who have always spearheaded the approval of tougher sanctions against Iran may not pressurize China to support something more powerful this time. The new resolution may be only a copy of the previous ones which China had approved.
So on the one hand, we have Americans who don’t want to lose face and see their efforts vanish in a puff of smoke; and on the other, there is Beijing that doesn’t want to yield to US pressures. Washington may find out after a while its endeavors are in vain and compromises on a symbolic UN Security Council resolution. That will be a win-win game for both parties. But it is not clear which side manages to bring the other on its track in dealing with Iran.