BEIJING — China on Monday dismissed as “groundless” reports that Chinese entities provided Iran with satellite imagery of a military base in Jordan housing US troops, both before and after an Iranian missile strike that killed three American soldiers.
The allegations, reported by The Wall Street Journal over the weekend, concern missile attacks carried out by Iran on July 17 against Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan, a facility used by US forces.
The newspaper, citing unnamed US officials, reported that Chinese entities had supplied Tehran with satellite images related to the base. However, the officials did not identify the Chinese companies allegedly involved and did not accuse the Chinese government of directly ordering or facilitating the transfer.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun rejected the reports during a regular press briefing on Monday, saying Beijing opposed allegations that were not supported by evidence.
“We firmly oppose groundless suspicion and accusations without evidence,” Guo said.
The reports come at a sensitive moment in US-China relations, with Chinese President Xi Jinping expected to visit the White House on September 24. The allegations could add another point of friction between Washington and Beijing, although US President Donald Trump appeared keen to play down the significance of the claims.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday, Trump acknowledged that both countries engage in intelligence-gathering activities.
“You know, when they say that China spies on us, I say you’re right, and we spy on them too,” Trump said.
“That’s what we do. They basically do what we do,” he added.
According to The Wall Street Journal, US officials had pressed Chinese officials for evidence concerning the reported transfer of satellite imagery. Beijing, however, declined to confirm that Chinese companies had supplied Iran with images of the Jordanian military facility.
The allegations are particularly significant because Washington has repeatedly warned Beijing against supporting Iran’s military capabilities.
In May, the United States imposed sanctions on three China-based satellite companies, accusing them of helping Iran’s military operations. Trump has also warned China against selling weapons to Tehran.
China and Iran maintain close economic and diplomatic ties. China is one of Iran’s most important economic partners and purchases a substantial share of the country’s oil exports. Beijing has also played a significant diplomatic role in supporting Tehran.
Despite the latest allegations, Trump struck a relatively conciliatory tone when discussing his relationship with Xi.
“He’s behaved reasonably well, and we behave reasonably well,” Trump said on Sunday.
Trump was also asked whether he would permit Chinese-made vehicles to be sold in the United States. He responded that he had previously taken measures to restrict their entry into the American market.
“I haven’t. I’m the one that kept them out. The tariffs kept them out,” he said.
The dispute over the alleged satellite imagery transfer comes as Washington continues to scrutinise China’s commercial and diplomatic ties with Iran, while both Beijing and Washington seek to manage broader tensions ahead of Xi’s planned visit to the United States.
– AFP
