Chinese leader Xi Jinping said the global order was “crumbling into disarray” as the Iran war takes a toll on the world’s second-largest economy.
Xi had so far largely refrained from commenting directly on the conflict, wary of harming ties with Washington ahead of a high-stakes summit with US President Donald Trump due next month.
But while China has weathered the global fuel price spikes better than most — it has huge oil reserves and a world-beating green energy sector — its export-oriented economy has still been battered.
Data published on Tuesday showed Chinese export growth cooling significantly since the start of the conflict, with shipments rising just 2.5% year-on-year last month, down from 40% in February.