Beijing can again leverage its critical minerals dominance over an increasingly busy US military, as Taiwan slides further down the White House list of priorities

As the US and Israel opened a new chapter of chaos in the Middle East, China stands to benefit from a Washington establishment that does not have the political or physical resources to focus on Asia.

Officially, China has condemned the attacks. Wang Yi, the foreign minister, called them “unacceptable” and called for a ceasefire, rhetoric that is typical of Beijing in response to Donald Trump’s increasingly erratic foreign policy moves.

Wang made similar comments after the US capture of the Venezuelan president, Nicolás Maduro, in January. The Chinese government wastes no opportunity to present itself as the defender of international laws and stability, although it provides little material support to smaller partners in the crosshairs of the US president’s latest furies.