On January 10, 2012, Huanqiu (the Chinese edition of Global Times) published an article titled “Out of Its Own Self Interest, China Should Prevent an Iranian War.” China’s self-interest in Iran includes the huge amount of oil in Iran and Iran’s important role in containing the U.S. so as to, strategically, ease the  pressure on China. Although “China cannot form an alliance with Iran and act as the enemy of the United States, China must do something to stop an ‘Iranian War’ while avoiding any fatal damage to Sino-US relations.”

The article lists the following suggestions of how to prevent the U.S. from starting a war against Iran: 1) Cooperate with Russia to oppose an Iranian War; 2) If the U.S. sanctions a Chinese company in Iran, China should carry out the same sanctions against the U.S.; 3) Help Iran diplomatically, maintaining high-level visits between Beijing and Tehran, so as to prevent Iran from being convicted in the court of global public opinion; 4) Make the war mentally and realistically more difficult for the U.S to start, as this is an election year and a new war may interfere with Obama’s re-election.

Source: Huanqiu, January 10, 2012
http://finance.huanqiu.com/data/2012-01/2342289.html

International Herald Leader, a newspaper under Xinhua News Agency, published an article on January 9, 2012, titled “More Researches Should Be Conducted on the Fatal Flaw of the United States.” The author of the article is Mr. Sun Zhe, a professor and director of the Center for US-China Relations, Tsinghua University. Sun suggested that the U.S. high-profile involvement in the South China Sea and President Obama’s criticism of China is normal. Having met many Americans including the U.S. vice president, former senior politicians, and think tank scholars, Sun concludes that the Americans are increasingly viewing China as a threat to the United States.

“The more China is viewed as a country that will surpass the U.S. in GDP, the more we must be modest and be aware of our shortcomings.” To outwit the U.S. diplomatically, Sun suggested doing more academic research exchanges so as to better understand the U.S. and China.

Source: International Herald Leader, January 9, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/herald/2012-01/09/c_131344109.htm