Beijing strategically and practically benefits from the performance of Iranian defenses and attacks against US and Israeli forces (based on the data of the 2025-2026 conflicts), as the Iranian arena serves as a living laboratory to test the effectiveness and efficiency of Chinese technology and data against advanced Western and American weapons. The ongoing military confrontation since early 2026 is thus serving as a living laboratory for Chinese military technologies and data. As for Beijing’s most significant strategic and military gains, they include testing Chinese military technologies and equipment in “real-world conditions and a real battlefield”: Iran uses defensive and offensive systems that rely heavily on reverse engineering or Chinese components and data, which helped Tehran detect American stealth aircraft and the extent of their penetration of Iranian defenses. China supplied Iran with advanced radars capable of detecting American stealth targets and tracking hundreds of aerial targets and helped Iran improve the performance of these Iranian radars against American fighters, such as the F-35 & F-22. These are the fighters that Washington used in its attacks on Iranian facilities, which provided Beijing with invaluable intelligence data on the “radar signature” of these American stealth aircraft and fighters and how to counter them.
This is in addition to Iran’s acquisition of advanced (Chinese HQ-9B air defense systems) similar to the (S-300) and advanced (YLC-8B radar) to compensate for its losses. These systems aim to reshape Iran’s deterrence capabilities. Furthermore, Beijing’s monitoring of these systems’ performance helps it develop its own version for a potential confrontation in Taiwan and the South China Sea. The Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s monitoring of these Chinese systems’ performance, efficiency, and effectiveness against advanced American aircraft and munitions provides Beijing with invaluable data for developing its technologies for a potential confrontation in the East Asia and Indo-Pacific region, especially in areas of direct Chinese influence (the South China Sea and Taiwan).
In addition to Beijing achieving several strategic and military gains by depleting American capabilities, Iranian counterattacks, such as the June 2015 bombing of Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, led to the extensive use of American Patriot and THAAD missiles. It’s worth noting that Washington consumed approximately a quarter of it (THAAD interceptor missile stockpile) in these confrontations, weakening American deterrence capabilities in the (Indo-Pacific) region and serving Chinese interests. In addition to China’s military exploitation of the Iranian war for intelligence gathering, China is using advanced surveillance methods, including spy ships like the Liaoyan, to monitor the movements of US aircraft carriers and provide Tehran with the data. This allows Beijing to test the effectiveness of its espionage and tracking capabilities against real targets, providing further tactical lessons for China. Beijing is observing how Iran successfully reaches US bases in the region using missile technology based on Chinese technology, reinforcing Beijing’s belief in its ability to “neutralize” US fleets in its own military simulations.
This coincided with continued military cooperation and the exchange of military data between China and Iran, due to China opening urgent supply lines to Tehran. China has established military supply lines that include spare parts and missile components to support Iran’s defense capabilities. With the (integration of defense systems between China and Iran): Beijing is helping Tehran build a multi-layered air defense network that far surpasses traditional systems, making Iranian airspace more fortified and complicating US military calculations. The Chinese People’s Liberation Army is also working to (identify and address security, military, and defense vulnerabilities): Advanced Chinese programs have been developed to assist Tehran militarily in strengthening Iranian defenses after security gaps were discovered in 2025. This reflects close cooperation in sharing technical data to improve resilience against US and Israeli attacks. However, despite these military benefits for China, Beijing is concerned about the disruption of global energy supplies due to the ongoing conflict, as it relies heavily on the region’s oil, particularly Iranian oil.
China has thus benefited from the US-Israeli war against Iran, gathering a wealth of intelligence and direct operational data. China acts as a vital “information provider” to Iran, receiving in return “feedback” on US movements. Furthermore, China has been accused of successfully tracking US naval vessels in the Middle East and the Gulf region. China has been accused of using advanced spy ships, such as the (Liaoyan), to monitor the movements of US aircraft carriers and provide this data to Tehran. A rigorous Chinese military assessment is underway to analyze and evaluate the extent to which Iran will succeed or fail in using this data to launch counterattacks (as occurred in the 2015 bombing of US bases in Qatar and Iraq). This reveals to China all the vulnerabilities in US naval and air tactics. In addition, China has supplied Iran with “jamming-jamming” technologies. Here, US intelligence is investigating Iran’s use of advanced Chinese technologies aimed at neutralizing Western and US electronic jamming systems, an area of ​​paramount importance to Beijing to ensure its future electronic superiority in a military confrontation with Washington. The role of private Chinese companies specializing in open-source intelligence analysis, such as (MizarVision), has also become prominent. MizarVision has relied on civilian tools and diverse technologies to produce high-value security knowledge for analyzing and evaluating all surveillance data related to the Iran-Iraq War and providing immediate technological alternatives to support and assist Iran.
This is in addition to the strategic and geopolitical benefits for China from the depletion of American resources during the Iran-Iraq War. Beijing sees Washington’s engagement in a protracted and offensive conflict with Iran as a means to weaken American focus on the Pacific region, Taiwan, and the South China Sea, which are areas of direct influence for China. Here, China works to enhance Iran’s regional influence: by supporting Iran with spare parts and missile components, China ensures that Tehran remains a strong ally against American hegemony, thus solidifying Beijing’s role as an alternative global power capable of protecting its partners. Here, China is attempting to secure energy and oil supplies from Iran. In exchange for military support to Tehran, China receives a continuous flow of Iranian oil. Arms deals, such as those involving defense systems, are often conducted in exchange for oil shipments, thus bolstering China’s energy security and circumventing Western and American oversight.
On March 3, 2026, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) military leadership summarized the lessons learned from the American and Israeli airstrikes on Iran, which targeted senior leaders and nuclear and military infrastructure. These lessons were outlined in (five strategic points) published on official platforms, including the PLA’s official website and social media accounts, in a bilingual (Chinese and English) post and poster on the social media platform ( “X” formerly “Twitter”), titled: “Five Lessons Taught to the World by the US-Israeli Attack on Iran”. The Chinese military poster summarized the five main lessons that can be learned from this war. The five most prominent military lessons (from a Chinese perspective), are: First, the internal enemy is the most lethal threat. Chinese military analysts have pointed out that American and Israeli intelligence penetrations were crucial, especially after reports of the hacking of surveillance camera networks in Tehran just before the assassinations. Second, blind faith in peace is the most costly mistake. Beijing believes that diplomacy without deterrence fails, and that relying on peace promises or ongoing negotiations can be a strategic delusion, as was the case with drawing Iran into negotiations with Washington while it was preparing for war. Third, the logic of overwhelming firepower is the harshest reality. China has emphasized that overwhelming technological and military superiority (such as the use of guided missiles and artificial intelligence) dictates the outcome on the battlefield, reinforcing President Xi Jinping’s vision of the necessity of possessing an invincible “hard power”. The fourth lesson, is (the illusion of victory is the cruelest paradox): Beijing warned that winning battles and swift air strikes does not necessarily mean winning the war or achieving long-term political stability. The fifth lesson, is (self-reliance is the only guarantee): Here, China concluded that any country must rely on its own capabilities in military manufacturing and national security, because allies cannot compensate for the absence of independent national capabilities.
In addition to achieving additional strategic conclusions for Beijing as a result of the American-Israeli war against Iran, including testing the effectiveness and efficiency of Western, American, and Israeli technology practically on the ground: Here, China considers the war in Iran a “living laboratory” to study American and Israeli capabilities, especially the use of artificial intelligence in identifying targets and tracking American and Israeli military movements. With China testing the effectiveness of its technology in a real-world conflict zone, particularly in light of Iran’s use of the Chinese BeiDou satellite system. BeiDou has helped Iran accurately guide its missiles and reduce the effectiveness of Western and American GPS jamming. This has prompted Chinese intelligence, military, defense, and security circles to analyze it as a test of the United States’ ability to manage a high-intensity conflict in the Middle East while simultaneously supporting other fronts, such as Ukraine, and maintaining its presence in the Indo-Pacific region. This challenges previous Chinese assumptions about the dispersal of American power. As Beijing attempts to maintain energy security and logistical supply chains amidst the escalating conflict, the US and Israeli military strikes against Iran have heightened China’s concerns regarding the security of the Strait of Hormuz, through which 45% of its oil imports pass. This has prompted China to strengthen its strategies for securing alternative energy sources.
Based on the preceding military analysis, we can better understand China’s approach to this conflict through what can be termed “China Watch”. Here, China’s strategic calculations in managing the ongoing conflict in the region between Iran, the United States, and Israel are based on a combination of political pragmatism and efforts to maintain regional stability. This is especially significant given the importance of Iranian oil to the Chinese economy, as China is the largest importer of Iranian crude oil, having imported more than 80% of Iran’s oil exports in 2025.
