An Advanced Position

Opening of 25th issue of "China in Arab Eyes" News Bulletin
Author: Mahmoud Raya
China holds an advanced position regarding the Iranian nuclear issue or at least, this is Iran’s viewpoint on this matter.
This viewpoint will naturally lead towards believing that the other side – American and European – will regard the Chinese position as very preservative; rather, it will be regarded as a very retarded position, tarrying behind the international stand on a vital issue.
How can the Chinese position “progress” according to the American view?”
The answer is simple; China must submit to the U.S. pressures and go along with the sanctions on Tehran by either participation or by approving the decision of the International Security Council, and perhaps participating in any military war the U.S. administration might be mulling against Iran.
If this is “progressivism” as seen by the U.S., China on the other hand would rather retreat and express decisive positions on all the matters which Washington demands. Beijing stresses on the peaceful solution regarding the Iranian nuclear issue and stresses on the unnecessary approval of new sanctions against Tehran. China is adopting an entirely different direction. It wishes to increase the chances of the mutual economic and commercial exchange between the two countries. Moreover, it wishes to rely on the Iranian oil as a main source of the energy which China requires.
Beijing was not satisfied; it also deployed its foreign minister to Tehran to deliver a clear message, which was received by the Iranian command through a deep friendship with China. This issue was expressed by the Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad saying, “The enemies of Iran and China cannot bear the friendly rapport between the two countries.”
China might express a similar position to some extent, but it is also stressing on Iran that it must seriously deal with the international worry regarding its nuclear program. In addition, perhaps China does not wish for the Iranian-Western conflict to take a military form or at least, face a heat wave which might influence the world policy and economy. However, all these issues does not mean that China is confused about which side to take for support, and it will not lose its way identifying the party that it will support during such confrontation.
China has expressed clearly these facts by refraining from attending the six countries meeting that was decided in order to discuss the imposition of sanctions on Iran. Although it referred such refrain to technical reasons, yet anyone could have ignored these “reasons” unlike the Chinese commandment. This was a crystal clear stance of China.
One can say that this issue in its entirety means one thing: China is slapping the U.S. face repeatedly. Washington, receiving these slaps, keeps insisting that China is “retarded” and that it will lead it towards progression.
Therefore, will China be “led” or will its gigantic economic and populated locomotive hold back the U.S. unrestraint rushing train, hence saving the world the gravities of the U.S. heedlessness that exceeds all expectations?