The conflict benefits China by allowing it to secure its own energy supply through a direct deal with Iran for passage through the Strait of Hormuz. In exchange, China can help Iran rebuild its military and infrastructure, creating a more deeply integrated 'axis' that realigns regional power against U.S. interests.

The current Iran crisis could mirror the 1957 Suez Crisis, which marked the transfer of global power from the British Empire to the U.S. If China successfully leverages the situation to its diplomatic and economic advantage, it could signal a similar shift in global power away from the United States.

From China's perspective, the US being bogged down in the Iran conflict is an "unforced error" that reduces American focus and diplomatic bandwidth. This distraction is seen as an opportunity for China to gain an upper hand in ongoing trade and technology disputes.

China is proposing a peace plan for the Iran conflict not primarily to achieve peace, but to strategically position itself as a global peacemaker. This move allows China to claim the diplomatic high ground and implicitly frames the US as a warmonger, regardless of the plan's success.

China's approach to the Iran conflict reflects ancient principles of statecraft known as the "36 Stratagems." Tactics like "kill with a borrowed knife" (using Iran to disadvantage the U.S.) and sacrificing short-term goals for long-term gain demonstrate deep historical continuity in its foreign policy.

China is strategically using the US's engagement in the Iran conflict for diplomatic advantage. By calling for stability and mediation, it portrays itself as a responsible global power, contrasting this with the perceived instability caused by US foreign policy, which it frames as a "global wrecking ball."

China plays the long game. Instead of direct confrontation, its strategy is to wait for the U.S. to weaken itself through expensive military interventions and political division. This allows China to gain relative power without firing a shot, similar to its rise during the War on Terror.

The confrontation with Iran should be viewed as the main flashpoint for the reorganization of the global order. It embodies 'Thucydides' Trap,' where the rising power of China challenges the established dominance of the US, with the conflict serving as the messy, real-world arena for this power struggle.

A protracted U.S. conflict in the Middle East is a strategic gift to China. It diverts American military resources, political attention, and economic strength, allowing China to expand its influence, particularly in Asia, without direct confrontation.