What happened
The United States and China have differing views on Iran and Cuba, leading to increased tensions between the two nations. China's vice premier, Han Zheng, urged the US to lift sanctions on Cuba and respect Middle Eastern countries' sovereignty in a speech at the United Nations General Assembly. This followed US President Donald Trump's warning to China against supporting Iran during their meeting in Washington.
Trump also accused Cuba of being an "absolutely failed state" and coordinating with left-wing radicals and communist networks in the US. The US has been imposing a fuel blockade on Cuba since January. China, on the other hand, has been supplying Iran with shoulder-fired air-defense missile launchers and helping Tehran evade sanctions on its oil sales.
Analysts believe that China is using the Iran and Cuba issues to put pressure on the US in response to the pressure the US is exerting on China in the Indo-Pacific region. The US and China announced a mutual agreement on tariffs for non-sensitive goods valued at $30 billion, but no substantive agreements were reached on major strategic issues.
The conflict between the US and China is expected to continue, with some analysts describing it as a "second Cold War". The US is seen as the leader of the free world, while the Chinese Communist Party is seen as the leading party of the authoritarian world. The conflict is expected to involve a wide range of strategies, including economic, political, and military measures.
