China Signals Iran Support Before US Summit, Hugs Iranian FM

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi embraced Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Beijing on May 6, 2025, a gesture edited out by state broadcaster CCTV and most Western media. The hug signals China's shift in policy toward the US-Iran war, making a full stop of hostilities and adherence to negotiations preconditions for President Trump's planned May 14-15 summit with President Xi Jinping. Wang told US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on April 30 that Taiwan Strait is a higher priority than Hormuz Strait, but now demands Trump avoid relapsing into fighting. China supports Iran's sovereignty and commends its diplomatic efforts, advocating Gulf and Middle East countries to control their own fate. The meeting followed a week of silence from China's foreign ministry during the May Day holiday. Araghchi confirmed trust in China and expectations for a post-war regional architecture, echoing Russia's 2021 Collective Security Concept for the Persian Gulf and Xi's four-point proposal for Gulf security.