China warns of 'vicious cycle' if Iran war escalates further

China issued a warning on Day 24 that continued escalation of the US-Israel war on Iran risks entering a 'vicious cycle' that could destabilize the broader Middle East region. The warning was reported by Moneycontrol and attributed to Chinese government sources. Beijing has significant strategic interests at stake: China imports roughly 70% of its crude oil from the Gulf region, and Hormuz disruptions have already begun affecting Chinese energy supply chains. **Context:** China has maintained formal neutrality while privately signalling displeasure at both US-Israel escalation and Iranian missile fire. Beijing has urged ceasefire through UN Security Council channels but has not deployed military assets to the region. The 'vicious cycle' framing reflects China's concern that the Trump Hormuz ultimatum (23:44 GMT March 23) could trigger a catastrophic escalation from which no exit exists. China's Trump summit scheduled for April in Beijing (threatened by Trump on March 16) adds diplomatic stakes to China's response — Beijing has an incentive to de-escalate before the summit to preserve the diplomatic framework.