While America focuses on the escalating Israel-Iran conflict—sparked by Israel’s justified preemptive strikes on Iranian nuclear threats—China is quietly seizing the opportunity to expand its global reach. President Xi Jinping’s recent diplomatic blitz in Central Asia and Africa represents a calculated move to deepen China’s influence as U.S. attention remains consumed by Middle Eastern tensions.
At a summit in Kazakhstan, Xi Jinping unveiled a comprehensive set of agreements aimed at binding Central Asian nations more closely to China under the “Belt and Road” initiative. Deals spanned green mining, trade facilitation, infrastructure connectivity, customs cooperation, and personnel exchanges. Just days earlier, China inked $11.4 billion worth of contracts at its China-Africa trade expo in Hunan Province, demonstrating Beijing’s determination to extend economic and diplomatic dominance across the globe while American leadership is preoccupied elsewhere.
This aggressive diplomacy is no accident. It directly reflects Beijing’s strategy to exploit American distractions, particularly as President Trump rightly focuses on supporting our ally Israel against Iran’s existential threat to regional and global security. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) sees a historic opening to reshape the global order in its own image, undermining American influence and promoting authoritarian values worldwide.
Eric Olander, editor-in-chief of the China-Global South Project, underscored this stark divergence between American and Chinese strategies. Commenting on China’s reaction to the current Middle East conflict, he remarked, “China came out very quickly and did not pretend to try and be a neutral arbiter, did not pretend to be kind of nonpartisan at all. They came out very quickly, backed Iran in this, framed the Israelis as the aggressor, and then also positioned the United States as manipulating all of this.”
Indeed, Beijing’s unapologetic alignment with Tehran underscores the growing axis of authoritarianism that threatens global stability. Xi Jinping openly condemned Israel for its justified military actions against Iranian nuclear facilities and terror-supporting infrastructure. This explicit support for the Iranian regime reveals the true colors of China’s foreign policy: a ruthless pursuit of geopolitical advantage, irrespective of morality or justice.
Meanwhile, our America First priorities demand vigilance against China’s expanding influence. President Trump’s decision to recommit American strength and resolve toward defending Israel’s sovereignty and dismantling Iran’s nuclear ambitions is absolutely necessary. But we must simultaneously recognize and counteract China’s diplomatic and economic encroachment, particularly in strategically vital regions such as Central Asia and Africa.
The Biden administration’s catastrophic legacy—marked by retreat from global leadership and appeasement of authoritarian adversaries—left America vulnerable and allowed China to push aggressively into areas traditionally aligned with American interests. Biden’s withdrawal from institutions and initiatives like USAID, the World Health Organization, and PEPFAR, without adequate replacement or reform, created a vacuum that China eagerly filled. President Trump inherited this foreign policy disaster, and his administration must now decisively correct course.
China’s bold diplomatic offensive is a clear reminder that Beijing seeks nothing less than global supremacy at America’s expense. President Trump has rightly prioritized border security, domestic manufacturing revival, trade reform, and ending foreign wars. But these priorities must be paired with aggressive diplomatic engagement and strategic pushback against the CCP’s agenda.
To effectively counter China, America must aggressively reassert its global leadership and rebuild strategic alliances. Expanding economic cooperation with Africa and Central Asia, strengthening ties with allies who share our democratic values, and firmly confronting Chinese propaganda and influence operations are essential measures. We cannot allow Xi Jinping to exploit America’s necessary military focus in the Middle East to further China’s corrosive influence.
As Israel continues its righteous campaign against Iranian threats, the Trump administration must simultaneously launch an American diplomatic offensive that reclaims influence in strategically critical regions. China’s ambitions cannot go unchallenged. Our national security demands vigilance and proactive leadership—because if America doesn’t lead, China gladly will.