Henry Huiyao Wang, founder of the Center for China and Globalization, warns that US-Israeli attacks on Iran have triggered a chaotic “law of the jungle” global order. He argues the strikes risk escalating into broader regional conflict, exposing nations to heightened instability.

Wang emphasizes that China may abandon diplomatic restraint if its strategic interests in the Middle East face direct threats. Beijing’s potential military response hinges on whether escalation reaches a “line in the sand” that jeopardizes Chinese assets or allies in the region. The strikes, conducted without Iranian casualties, now risk drawing Iran into a proxy war with global powers, according to Wang’s analysis. Market volatility could surge as energy supplies and trade routes face disruption, with oil prices already spiking 3% post-attack. Geopolitical fault lines are deepening, as the US and Israel seek to contain Iran’s nuclear ambitions while risking blowback. Economic ties between China and Iran, including $400 billion in bilateral trade, amplify stakes. Analysts caution that miscalculations could spiral into a multipolar conflict reshaping 21st-century alliances.