China said on Friday (August 21, 2026) that U.S.
“sanctions and pressure” would not resolve the Middle East conflict, after Washington urged governments including Beijing to join efforts to isolate the Iranian economy.
Asked about U.S. When asked whether the United States would pressure China to join the campaign, Mr.
President Donald Trump’s threats, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian told reporters on Friday that “sanctions and pressure will not help resolve the issue”. “China calls on all relevant parties to take responsible measures and resolve the problem through political and diplomatic means,” he said. Bessent told CNBC that “many conversations are best to have in private”, but called on Beijing “to get with the programme”. “China opposes illegal unilateral sanctions that have no basis in international law and are not authorised by the UN Security Council,” Mr. Lin said.
