China Power: To Interfere, or Not to Interfere?

On stage, Chinese diplomats continue to promulgate the country’s oft-stated policy of non-interference in the internal affairs of other nations. Yet the evolution of China’s reaction to the ongoing crisis in Libya, and its position over Sudan’s referendum, suggest that it isn’t an iron-clad rule and that other calculations may be pulling at the seams of this so-called doctrine. Iran provides an interesting case study, as there are indications that a similar shift in Chinese posturing may be in the offing. While Chinese leaders consistently hoist Tehran up as a ‘fraternal partner’ and resist UN sanctions aimed at halting Iran’s nuclear ambitions, Beijing’s recent actions don’t match up with its diplomats’ congenial rhetoric. Recent reports reveal that Chinese State Owned Enterprises have put the brakes on oil and gas investment in Iran.