China agreeing to “stay on the sidelines” during the Iran conflict “would be a good victory” for the U.S., retired Air Force Brig. Gen. Blaine Holt told Newsmax on Friday.
Appearing on “Wake Up America” alongside America First Policy Institute Vice Chairman Fred Fleitz, Holt said President Donald Trump’s summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping could help prevent Beijing from escalating tensions in the Middle East while the U.S. continues pressuring Iran over its nuclear ambitions.
“On the surface, it looks like China will stay on the sidelines, and that alone would be a good victory,” Holt said.
Holt noted that both Trump and Xi share an interest in keeping the Strait of Hormuz open, a critical global shipping route that carries much of the world’s oil supply.
Trump said during the summit that both leaders want the conflict to end and agree Iran “cannot have a nuclear weapon.”
While Holt cautioned that China has historically supported Iran’s military and continues to engage in espionage and unfair trade practices against the United States, he argued the immediate priority is ensuring Beijing does not actively undermine U.S. efforts in the region.
“If we can keep them out of this thing as we finish off the regime — not negotiate our way to the endgame here, because there’s hardly anything left of them anyway — and then rise up with a new Iranian people, free, welcoming us in helping repair their oil infrastructure, we have to focus on that now,” Holt said.
Fleitz said Trump’s trip to China appeared to produce important progress on trade and economic relations as well, including reported commitments by Beijing to purchase 200 Boeing aircraft along with increased imports of American beef and soybeans.
“I think this trip was very useful in resetting relations and extending truces on trade and tariffs and rare earth minerals,” Fleitz said.
Still, Fleitz warned China has a long history of failing to fully honor agreements reached during high-profile summits and said confirmation from Beijing would need to come quickly.
“We need to hear in the next 24 to 48 hours confirmation from the Chinese government on which of these agreements they are going to follow through on,” he said.
The summit also touched heavily on Taiwan, with Xi reportedly warning Trump against U.S. interference in the dispute.
Holt said the diplomatic exchange reflected both nations returning to a policy of “strategic ambiguity” while also revealing internal political pressures facing Xi amid China’s slowing economy and growing factional infighting within the Chinese Communist Party.
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