China Capitalizes on US Crises, Expanding Global Influence

According to the International Desk of Webangah News Agency, China is increasingly benefiting from a series of crises engulfing the United States. While Washington grapples with tensions involving Iran, the Gaza conflict, the protracted war in Ukraine, and escalating competition with China, its attention and capabilities are being divided across multiple fronts. This diffusion of focus, despite US claims of containing China, signals a practical shift away from the Indo-Pacific as a primary priority.

A recent manifestation of this shift involves the redeployment of the aircraft carrier USS George Washington from the Pacific to the Middle East. This move is intended to replace the USS Abraham Lincoln, which has been on deployment for over 250 days. Consequently, the western Pacific region will temporarily be without an American aircraft carrier presence.

The persistent engagement in West Asia, coupled with US military commitments in Europe and intensifying rivalry with China, has substantially increased the cost of maintaining US power across numerous theaters. The transfer of the USS George Washington to West Asia represents the latest indicator of this financial and strategic strain.

The significance of this operational shift is amplified by the fact that the western Pacific is considered the principal arena for military competition between the United States and China. Reports from the Associated Press and Stars and Stripes suggest that the departure of the USS George Washington, amidst heightened Chinese military activity in the region, raises questions about Washington’s capacity to maintain deterrence and assure its allies.

The pressure stemming from ongoing conflicts is not solely evident in the repositioning of naval assets and troops; it is also impacting US weapons stockpiles. Reuters reported on August 4 that the US military had depleted nearly all its long-range precision missile reserves, including ATACMS and PSM missiles, during its five-month engagement with Iran. Furthermore, approximately 65 percent of Patriot interceptor missiles and 38 percent of THAAD interceptors were utilized, along with nearly half of its Tomahawk cruise missiles.

These figures indicate that the issue extends beyond the mere relocation of an aircraft carrier or a temporary shift in troop deployments. The sustained military operations by the United States in the Middle East are placing considerable strain on the resources Washington requires for deterrence against its major rivals. Reuters has warned that the depletion of weapons stockpiles could affect America’s readiness for future conflicts with powers such as China and Russia, a concern that gains greater salience with the temporary absence of an aircraft carrier from the western Pacific.

From this perspective, recent developments should not be interpreted solely as a US withdrawal from Asia. Instead, they can be seen as a clear indication of the cost of military interventions and the dispersal of Washington’s capabilities. While the US dedicates a significant portion of its military capacity to ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, China is presented with an opportunity to expand its reach and influence in its most critical strategic competition zone. This dynamic frames the central question of how Beijing is capitalizing on this emerging landscape.

China, in contrast to Washington’s substantial military deployment in the Middle East, has not engaged in direct confrontation in response to US and Israeli actions against Iran. Nevertheless, Beijing has sought to leverage the economic and geopolitical consequences of these crises to bolster its own standing.

A report by the Brookings Institution notes that while the conflict involving Iran has imposed costs on Beijing, such as increased energy prices, it has simultaneously created opportunities for China to strengthen its position in clean energy technologies, cultivate relationships with developing nations, and promote the narrative of a multipolar world order.

One of the most apparent indicators of this trend is visible in the energy and transportation markets. Reuters recently reported that China’s electric truck exports more than doubled following the onset of the conflict involving Iran on February 28. Imports of these products into South Asian countries surged fivefold compared to the same period in the previous year.

The surge in fuel prices, attributed to disruptions in oil tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, has driven increased demand for electric vehicles. Chinese companies are seizing this opportunity by offering more affordable models and comprehensive packages that include vehicles and charging infrastructure, thereby capturing markets previously dominated by traditional manufacturers.

This opportunity is extending to larger markets in the Global South. A comparison between China and the United States offers a clearer picture. In 2025, trade between China and Africa reached $348 billion, marking an 17.7 percent increase, with Chinese exports to Africa growing at a faster rate than African imports. Furthermore, Beijing implemented a zero-tariff policy for goods from African nations diplomatically aligned with China starting in May 2026. These actions are taking place as US tariff policies have increased the cost of access to the American market for many developing economies.

Concurrently, Beijing is exploiting the reduced military focus of the United States to consolidate its position in its surrounding environment. According to Reuters, amidst the global concentration on the conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine, China has intensified its military and strategic activities in the Indo-Pacific. The most recent example is the completion of the first phase of construction on Antelope Reef in the South China Sea.

Satellite imagery reveals an artificial island approximately six kilometers in length, a port with a quay of about 680 meters, and infrastructure including a direct path exceeding three kilometers, which could potentially be developed into a runway in the future. Such infrastructure, situated in a region where the US has redirected a portion of its naval capabilities to the Middle East, enhances China’s capacity for sustained presence in the area.

However, China’s advantage in the current climate should not be solely attributed to increased military or economic power. Beijing’s most significant achievement lies in its ability to transform the crises of others into opportunities for expanding its own connections without incurring comparable political and military costs. While the US is compelled to transfer naval assets, deplete weapons stockpiles, and concentrate resources in the Middle East to manage its wars, China can simultaneously expand its trade in emerging markets, displace more expensive Western options with its technology and products, and enhance its strategic presence in East Asia. This divergence transforms the question of “How China benefits from Washington’s crises” from a general assertion into a quantifiable trend.

Experts believe that China is not attempting to rapidly fill the vacuum left by US engagements. Instead, it is utilizing the dispersion of Washington’s capabilities to gradually strengthen its economic, financial, and diplomatic ties. Reuters has reported that Arab nations in the Persian Gulf, amid growing doubts about US capabilities, are increasingly turning to China to manage regional tensions and maintain trade routes.

This trend is also evident in China’s trade with ASEAN nations. In the first half of 2026, trade between China and ASEAN grew by 18.2 percent to 4.34 trillion yuan. Chinese electricity exports to these countries also increased by 42.9 percent, driven by concerns stemming from the energy crisis. These figures demonstrate Beijing’s efforts to leverage its economic capacity to deepen interdependence with regional countries.

Simultaneously, China is working to reduce its reliance on US-dominated financial infrastructure. According to data from China’s State Administration of Foreign Exchange, cross-border receipts and payments for China’s non-banking sector reached $9.2 trillion in the first half of 2026. The yuan accounted for 52.9 percent of the country’s cross-border settlements. While these figures may not immediately threaten the dollar’s dominance, they signify the expansion of China’s independent financial capacity.

In the political arena, China holds a distinct position compared to the United States due to its simultaneous relationships with Iran and Arab nations in the Persian Gulf. Without direct involvement in conflict and without incurring the same military costs as Washington, Beijing can leverage its economic and diplomatic relations to increase its political role. From this viewpoint, the longer the various crises in the region persist, the greater the opportunity for China to strengthen its relationships and enhance its bargaining power within the region and beyond.