China's Veto in the UNSC

Well, I’m exhausted this morning. Trump’s deadline for bridge day and power plant day was 4am here in the UAE, and last night there was a lot of tension. Lots of folks filling their cars with gas, worried they might have to get out of the city on short notice. Lots of text messages: “Where are you going if this starts?” I woke up just before 4, and then got one of the incoming missile/drone alerts on my phone, took a deep breath, opened Twitter, and saw the news of a 14-day ceasefire. This is insane. I’ll probably write something about it tomorrow, although really, I’m damn angry and writing angry isn’t smart. So instead, the China-MENA angle for today:

PRC Ambassador to the UN Fu Cong (photo: PRC Permanent Mission to the UN)

Yesterday, after several revisions and delays, the United Nations Security Council voted on Bahrain’s Draft Resolution on the Strait of Hormuz. The tally:

In favor (11): Bahrain; DR Congo; Denmark; France; Greece; Latvia; Liberia; Panama; Somalia; United Kingdom; United States

Against (2): China; Russia

Abstentions (2): Colombia; Pakistan

While reading about the process of getting to the vote, the first thing that came to mind was UNSC Resolution 1973, when China and Russia abstained on the 2011 vote to use “all necessary measures” to protect civilians in Libya and immediately regretted it. The NATO campaign to drive out Qaddafi was, to both Moscow and Beijing, beyond the scope of the resolution. You’ll see in the ‘Explanation of Vote’ from China’s ambassador to the UN linked below that he does reference Libya as something that shaped Beijing’s thinking on this resolution.

How will this be interpreted in Gulf Arab countries? Hard to say. I’m sure the Trump administration will use it as a talking point with GCC countries but I doubt it will resonate. When the most recent story broke about the alleged shipment of sodium perchlorate from China to Iran, I asked a China expert from a GCC country, “If Iranian missiles were launched at your country using Chinese fuel would it change local attitudes towards China?” The response was “No, it would confirm them.” This person’s take reflected the belief that China is a purely transactional actor in this region, and if you think China is on Iran’s side or the Arabs’ side you’re delusional. China is on China’s side.

Nearly every GCC national I talk with about China-Gulf relations starts from this point, and then they go from there. How can we create incentives to get China to work more closely with us on stuff that matters? How can we demonstrate that our vision of the region is more closely aligned with theirs? Both of those have been done really well. The ease of doing business, the standard of living, the connection to regional markets, the financial infrastructure - all of this has resulted in a lot of China-GCC cooperation. The synergy between the BRI and local ‘Vision’ development agendas helps too, creating relatively seamless connections between supply chains and business clusters across the Arabian Peninsula.

But that doesn’t make political leverage, and again, when talking with Gulf Arabs, the overwhelming position is that Chinese transactionalism is great for business but stops there. They don’t describe these economic relationships as having a diplomatic impact. Certainly not a security impact.

So no doubt there’s disappointment that the resolution didn’t pass, but at the end of the day I suspect it just confirms that neither Russia nor China are the type of partners that you should count on when you’re in a crisis.

Middle East Crisis: Vote on a Draft Resolution on the Strait of Hormuz - Security Council Report. This is an excellent overview of the process of getting the draft resolution to a vote, and explains the Chinese and Russian positions in the run-up.

It appears that China and Russia expressed concerns about the invocation of Chapter VII, arguing that such authorisation could be interpreted as legitimising the use of force by member states without clearly defined limits. They also raised concerns about the potential imposition of sanctions and maintained that the draft failed to address the root causes of the current crisis in the Middle East. In their view, the text risked exacerbating tensions rather than promoting de-escalation, and they urged Bahrain not to advance the initiative. These reservations led China and Russia to break silence twice.

Responding to these concerns, Bahrain removed the explicit reference to Chapter VII in the third revised draft. However, the authorisation for the use of force and a determination that Iran’s actions near and around the Strait of Hormuz constitute a threat to international peace and security were retained. China and Russia argued that this did not address their concerns, maintaining that the draft continued to legitimise the use of force without accounting for the underlying causes of the escalation. The current draft resolution in blue does not include an explicit reference to Chapter VII and retains the determination regarding Iran’s actions as threats to international peace and security.

Is it feasible to reopen the Strait of Hormuz with ‘defensive measures’? -People’s Daily. You can see the same narrative in this Global Times editorial and the PRC MOFA press conference, both of which were before the UNSC vote: the resolution would not address the root cause of the Strait crisis, which is the US-Israel launching of the war. This war is going to be featured in so much PRC propaganda for Global X Initiative, or SCO, or BRICS, or whatever is in the pipelines, although frankly I don’t think it makes China’s preferences more attractive; China’s political and economic model will remain pretty unappealing, even if you’re happy to get a cheaper EV.

China does not endorse attacks against GCC countries and supports international efforts to ensure navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. The key question, however, is how to achieve this. Under current circumstances, authorizing member states to use force is tantamount to legitimizing the unlawful abuse of force, which will inevitably lead to further escalation of the situation and cause serious consequences. Reports indicate that China, Russia, and France - three permanent members of the UN Security Council - have expressed differing views on the draft resolution, while differences of opinion also exist among non-permanent members. This indeed reflects the international community’s shared concern over the risk of further escalation.

The issue of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz is a spillover effect of the US-Israeli war with Iran. The root cause lies in the unauthorized use of force against Iran by the US and Israel without UN Security Council approval. Failing to address this root cause - the conflict itself - while focusing only on restoring navigation is akin to treating symptoms rather than the underlying problem. Preventing further deterioration fundamentally requires the US and Israel to cease military operations. Only a genuine ceasefire and cessation of hostilities can dispel the shadow of war hanging over the Strait of Hormuz and fundamentally guarantee the safety of the waterway.

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning’s Regular Press Conference on April 7, 2026 - PRC MoFA. This happened before the vote, so no surprises.

PTI: May I ask you about the UN resolution being piloted by Bahrain at the UN Security Council on the Iran-U.S. conflict? I would like to know what is China’s stand on it? Is this going to be voted today?

Mao Ning: As the conflict regarding Iran continues to spill over, the pressing priority is to actively promote peace talks for the end of the conflict. China believes that any action taken by the UN Security Council should be conducive to easing tensions, stopping the conflict and resuming talks. It should not be used to endorse illegal military moves and still less add fuel to the flame. As a permanent member of the UN Security Council and a major responsible country, China stands ready to play a constructive role in bringing about a ceasefire, restoring peace, and realizing lasting stability in the region.

Explanation of Vote by Ambassador Fu Cong on the UN Security Council Draft Resolution on the Strait of Hormuz - Permanent Mission of the PRC to the UN. And from the horse’s mouth:

President,

The month-long conflict in Iran and its spillover effect continue to deal a heavy blow to regional and global peace and stability. It is hitting the global economy, causing increasingly widespread disruptions. This is not in the common interest of regional countries and beyond. The merits of this conflict are crystal clear. The US and Israel, without authorization from the Security Council and while negotiations between Iran and the US were underway, launched military strikes against Iran. This is in clear violation of the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and the basic norms of international relations. 

At the same time, the sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity of Gulf States must be fully respected. Civilians and non-military targets must be given necessary protection. The safety and security of shipping lanes and energy infrastructure must also be safeguarded. China does not go along with Iran’s attacks on Gulf States and the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. Like all parties, China hopes that peace and stability will be restored to the Strait as soon as possible and navigation will resume. 

China attaches great importance to the draft resolution submitted by Bahrain on behalf of Gulf States. We fully understand their serious concerns. We are committed to solving the issue properly, and we have participated constructively in the consultations. Under the current circumstances, this draft resolution should clearly identify the root causes of this conflict, seek appropriate solutions to address the root causes and ensure the safety and security of shipping lanes, and strive to promote dialogue and achieve peace. It is regrettable, however, that the draft resolution fails to capture the root causes and full picture of the conflict in a comprehensive and balanced manner. It contains one-sided condemnation and pressure, the characterization of the situation as threat to international peace and security, as well as the use of armed escorts. Such language is highly susceptible to misinterpretation or even abuse. At a time when the United States is openly threatening the very survival of a civilization, when the current hostilities imposed on Iran are very likely to further escalate, the draft resolution, should it have been adopted, would send an extremely wrong message and have very serious consequences. The Security Council has lessons to learn from issues such as Libya and the Red Sea. Such past mistakes must not be repeated. The Security Council’s actions should be aimed at deescalating the situation. They must not provide the legal veneer for unauthorized military operations. The Council’s actions must not grant a license to the use of force, let alone further exacerbate tensions and add fuel to the fire, thereby leading to an escalation of the conflict. The Security Council should not rush to vote on the draft resolution where serious concerns among members have been raised. In light of the above, China had no choice but to vote against the draft resolution.

President, 

This is a war that should never have happened, and as it continues, it will cause immeasurable harm. At present, the situation in the Middle East continues to deteriorate, and hostilities are escalating. The fundamental solution to ensuring safe passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz is to achieve cessation of hostilities as soon as possible. The US and Israel are the initiators of this conflict. The fundamental reason for the disruption of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz is the illegal military actions taken by the US and Israel against Iran. China strongly calls on the US and Israel to immediately cease their illegal military actions. Having heard what was said by the US representative, we are much more convinced now that China’s position is objective and impartial, reflecting the image of a responsible major country that upholds international fairness and justice. Our vote will stand the test of history. 

At the same time, China calls on Iran to stop attacking relevant facilities in the Gulf, address the legitimate concerns of Gulf States, focus on the common interest of the Global South, and take corresponding positive measures to restore normal navigation in the Strait of Hormuz as soon as possible. China applauds the efforts made by Pakistan, Egypt, Türkiye, and Saudi Arabia to promote dialogue and negotiations and restore regional peace. China commends and supports the work carried out by the United Nations in mediation and alleviating the humanitarian situation, and looks forward to these efforts yielding tangible results at an early date. 

Recently, China has made tremendous efforts to restore peace and stability in the Gulf and the Middle East. China has engaged in intensive consultations and mediation with relevant parties. China and Pakistan have issued a Five-Point Initiative for Restoring Peace and Stability in the Gulf and Middle East Region, calling for immediate cessation of hostilities, start of peace talks as soon as possible, security of non-military targets, security of shipping lanes, and primacy of the UN Charter. This is an open initiative and welcomes the response and participation by countries and international organizations. 

Taking into account the needs of all parties to resolve the relevant issues, Russia and China have jointly submitted a draft Security Council resolution. The text of that draft resolution is objective and fair, aiming at easing tensions, calling for dialogue and negotiations, and upholding navigational rights and freedoms. We hope that it will receive the support of Council members. China is ready to work with all parties to make greater contributions to the early restoration of peace and stability in the region. 

Thank you, President.