Policy Discussion on China and Iran’s Alliance

Breitbart News held a discussion Thursday about the threats from China and the Chinese Communist Party. Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) mentioned that China and Iran are allies with a shared goal: to counter the United States as a leading global power.

The event, titled China: Known and Unknown Threats, featured Washington Bureau Chief Matt Boyle who asked Cotton to elaborate on China’s involvement in the conflict with Iran, particularly its role in the Strait of Hormuz and its influence on broader U.S. actions.

Cotton characterized the relationship between China and Iran as longstanding and based on mutual interests.

“China and Iran have been allies for some time now. They don’t see eye-to-eye on many things, but what brings them together is their desire to prevent the U.S. from dominating the international landscape. They don’t want the U.S. to be the predominant superpower. China seeks that position, and Iran is willing to assist,” Cotton stated.

He went on to highlight energy and military collaborations as part of this alliance.

“They’ve engaged in various activities over the years, like ship-to-ship transfers and off-grid refineries, which assist Iran in meeting China’s extensive energy needs by exporting substantial amounts of its black market crude oil to China. In exchange, China has supplied Iran with arms,” he noted.

Cotton emphasized that their cooperation reaches into broader regional actions as well.

“Over the years, they’ve worked together in several ways throughout the Middle East, consistently striving to undermine the U.S.-led framework between Israel and its Arab allies,” he said.

The senator also touched on the ongoing tensions between Iran and the United States, discussing the actions of U.S. allies in the region and the reasoning behind recent military decisions.

“As the president has frequently stated, Iran’s nuclear ambitions and extensive missile capabilities present an unacceptable risk to the U.S. and pose an existential threat to our regional allies, hence the recent military engagements with Israel and Iran,” Cotton explained.

He pointed to missile development as a critical area of concern.

“A relevant example I’ve mentioned before is the intermediate-range ballistic missile fired at Diego Garcia, our base in the Indian Ocean. I testified this morning before the Armed Services Committee. The leap from developing an intermediate-range missile that can strike a base in the Indian Ocean to creating an intercontinental missile capable of hitting the U.S. is minimal, a matter of months rather than years,” Cotton remarked.

Cotton asserted that Iran’s actions in the strategic waterway and its recent military advancements must be understood within a larger context of security.

“The key reason behind President Trump’s actions and Iran’s behavior in the Strait of Hormuz and targeting Diego Garcia isn’t an excuse to retreat or ask for a ceasefire. It’s a prompt to take decisive action,” he stated. “As President Trump has said, we can’t let a regime of revolutionary terror, often utilizing Chinese technology, jeopardize one of the most vital waterways in the world, the entire Middle East, and increasingly, global stability.”