Israel’s war with Iran has escalated sharply, plunging the volatile Middle East into deeper turmoil in an era of rising conflicts.Alongside Russia’s grinding invasion of Ukraine and Pakistan’s recent clash with India, the crises, compounded by tensions on the Korean peninsula as well as in the South China Sea and Taiwan, have placed Beijing in a precarious position.Though not directly involved, Beijing is far from a mere bystander.
Its close ties with Russia, Iran, Pakistan and North Korea...