James Kynge

The last and probably the most important is that China is still a highly transactional power.

It doesn't have allies.

with the exception of one, and that is North Korea.

It has a formal treaty with North Korea signed in 1961.

But aside from that, China has no treaty obligation to go in and protect and defend any other country were that country to be attacked.

It has many so-called strategic partnerships with countries around the world.

And in fact, it had one or it has one still with Iran.

But these mean really next to nothing when push comes to shove.

A lot of these strategic partnerships are really just to flatter countries that China wants something from.

And in the case of Iran, China wanted cheap oil and it got it.

And it also probably wanted to use Iran somewhat to undermine the US on the world stage, certainly in the past.

I'm not so sure about the present.

So these considerations, or if we prefer China's game theory, means that I think China's response

in this war has been a mix of the following things, some of which you've already mentioned.

It's moderated its criticism of the US.

It's been using measured, relatively low-key language to criticize the US.

It said that the US attack was unacceptable.

It said that Washington is adopting a law of the jungle.

It's creating a vicious cycle.

But these are fairly mild criticisms, really, in diplomatic terms.