tensions, China largely stayed on the sidelines, highlighting the limits of its influence

Still, by backing this latest peace initiative alongside Pakistan, Xi Jinping gets to cast China as a neutral broker focused on dialogue and diplomacy —

a deliberate contrast to the more forceful approach of the United States.Whether this effort will actually lead to a ceasefire remains to be seen.

Neither the US nor Iran has responded yet to the proposal.China’s ambitions are clear: it wants more sway in the Middle East, driven by its need for a stable, predictable world where its economy can keep growing. But questions linger about its credibility — from its close ties with Russia to its own domestic policies and territorial ambitions.