China should be alert to risk of US being drawn into war by allies, analyst says

There is more risk of a global military conflict breaking out under Donald Trump’s leadership, with the US more likely to be drawn into wars involving smaller nations or allies, according to Chinese analysts.

The assessment came after the United States joined Israel’s war against Iran last weekend, carrying out military strikes on three nuclear sites in the Islamic Republic.

US officials have signalled that the operation was a one-off intervention and – hours after Iran launched a missile attack on a US base in Qatar – Trump announced an imminent ceasefire between Israel and Iran.

China, a key partner of Iran, condemned the American operation, saying it breached international law.

“Trump’s current term in office is not about establishing a new international order – it’s accelerating the deglobalisation trend that began during his previous presidency,” said Yan Xuetong, a foreign policy expert and international relations professor at Tsinghua University.

“The result is increased military conflicts and heightened uncertainty in the international community,” he said on Thursday during a press briefing on next week’s World Peace Forum in Beijing.