Chinese Travel Thousands of Miles to Flee Iran Overland
The first Chinese evacuees from Iran have started sharing on social media their desperate efforts to reach the country's borders and the safety of Turkmenistan, Armenia and Azerbaijan, as the Israel-Iran air war entered a sixth day.
Several thousand Chinese nationals are thought to reside in oil-rich Iran, according to state media reports, highlighting Beijing's efforts to deepen strategic and commercial ties with Iran over the past two decades.
"My heart was pounding but amid the haze of war, everything became clear: I packed my bags and tried to evacuate to the embassy," wrote a Chinese travel blogger under the alias Shuishui Crusoe, a nod to Daniel Defoe's fictional castaway, Robinson Crusoe.
The travel blogger had decided to leave after sitting through Israel's overnight bombings last Friday when the conflict began, even as the embassy advised her to stay put.
Emboldened by news of fellow citizens who made it across to Armenia, 750 km (500 miles) from the Iranian capital Tehran, she chose the same route, arriving by bus in the Armenian capital Yerevan on Monday, a day before China's embassy officially urged its citizens to leave Iran.
China started evacuating its citizens from Tehran to Turkmenistan by bus on Tuesday, a distance of 1,150 km, state-run China News Service reported Wednesday.
Guo Jiakun, a spokesperson for China's foreign ministry, said Beijing had not received any reports of Chinese casualties.
"Seven hundred and ninety-one Chinese nationals have already been relocated from Iran to safe areas, and over 1,000 more are in the process of being evacuated," he told a regular news conference.
While the embassy emphasized evacuation, some other Chinese netizens still in Iran shared video compilations showing an orderly scenario of well-stocked grocery shops and fruit stalls, with only a couple of clips of large purchases of bottled water.
Most Chinese in Iran are engineers who moved there to work for Chinese firms that have invested just under $5 billion in the country since 2007 - primarily in its oil sector - according to data from the American Enterprise Institute think tank.
If the regime in Tehran is severely weakened or replaced, Beijing loses a key diplomatic foothold in a region long dominated by the US, but vital to President Xi Jinping's flagship Belt and Road initiative and its aim to link the world's second-largest economy with Europe and the Gulf.
China, the world's leading energy consumer, has also benefited from importing heavily discounted Iranian crude, despite Washington's sanctions aimed at curbing the trade.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Arab News
33 minutes ago
- Arab News
Iran-Israel war diverting attention from Gaza catastrophe
As the world turns its eyes to the explosive confrontation between Iran and Israel, another tragedy continues to unfold — largely amid international silence. Israel's war on Gaza, already one of the most destructive military campaigns in recent history, is now becoming a footnote in the global news cycle. Airstrikes, famine and mass displacement have not ended, they have merely been pushed out of the spotlight. This shift in attention is not merely coincidental — it is politically convenient. The question we must ask is: at what cost? The Iran-Israel conflict, which has drawn in regional actors and sparked fears of a wider war, is undoubtedly significant. It has serious implications for global oil markets, international security and the delicate balance of power in the Middle East. But while diplomats scramble to contain this geopolitical wildfire, a slower, deadlier burn continues in Gaza — one that threatens the lives of millions, especially children, trapped in a war zone with no escape, no food and little hope. Since the start of the Gaza war in October 2023, more than 55,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to local health authorities. Entire neighborhoods have been reduced to rubble, hospitals have been bombed and the Strip's already fragile infrastructure has collapsed under the weight of a sustained siege. The World Food Programme and other agencies have repeatedly warned of an impending famine, exacerbated by Israel's restrictions on humanitarian aid and targeted destruction of civilian resources. And yet, with missiles now flying between Iran and Israel, the human catastrophe in Gaza is being relegated to the margins of global diplomacy. The shift is palpable: once-vocal international condemnation has softened into diplomatic murmurs. UN debates on war crimes and humanitarian aid have slowed, while the coverage from major Western news outlets has thinned dramatically. We are witnessing, in real-time, how one conflict can serve as a smokescreen for another. The shift is palpable: once-vocal international condemnation has softened into diplomatic murmurs Hani Hazaimeh This diversion is not just a matter of journalistic bandwidth — it is a calculated political maneuver. As Israel frames itself once again as a victim under existential threat from a regional rival, it reclaims a position of moral high ground in Western narratives. The Iran confrontation allows Israel to recast its military aggression in Gaza as part of a broader defensive strategy against a hostile axis, linking Hamas, Hezbollah and Tehran under a single 'terror' umbrella. In doing so, it deflects international criticism and stalls momentum for accountability, including mounting allegations of war crimes. Moreover, the Iran-Israel escalation has proven a convenient excuse for Washington and its European allies to delay or downplay tough decisions on Gaza. Calls for a ceasefire, arms embargoes or investigations into violations of international law are being drowned out by appeals for 'regional de-escalation' and the need to prevent 'a wider war.' But for the people of Gaza, the war is already wide enough. Their suffering does not pause simply because the West is worried about oil prices or the Strait of Hormuz. The timing of Israel's intensified military operations in Gaza often appears to coincide with moments of high international distraction. In recent months, several large-scale offensives, particularly in Rafah and northern Gaza, have been launched just as global attention veered toward diplomatic flashpoints involving Iran. Whether this is by design or not, the result is the same: reduced scrutiny, minimal outrage and a delay in any form of international pressure. This diversion also has devastating consequences on the ground. Humanitarian organizations have reported significant delays in aid delivery due to shifting political priorities among donor states. Media outlets that once dispatched special correspondents to Gaza have now redeployed them to Tel Aviv or Beirut. Even social media algorithms, driven by trending topics, have contributed to a sharp decline in visibility for Gaza-related content. The timing of Israel's intensified military operations in Gaza often appears to coincide with moments of high international distraction Hani Hazaimeh But this is not just a failure of media or politics — it is a moral failure. The world cannot afford to normalize genocide simply because something more 'geopolitically urgent' has arisen. The scale of suffering in Gaza demands sustained, focused international attention. It is not a side note. It is not a collateral issue. It is a core crisis that reflects the failure of the international system to uphold the very principles it claims to defend: the protection of civilians, the rule of law and the universal value of human life. To ignore Gaza now is to send a dangerous message — that some lives are more dispensable than others. That justice can be paused. That impunity is acceptable if the perpetrator is powerful enough or the timing is convenient. We must resist this logic. Civil society, journalists and humanitarian advocates must redouble their efforts to keep Gaza in the public consciousness. The same institutions and voices that were courageous enough to speak out months ago must not go silent now. Furthermore, governments must stop using the Iran-Israel war as a diplomatic excuse. They must continue to support investigations into violations of international law in Gaza, push for unimpeded humanitarian access and condition military support on adherence to human rights. The conflict with Iran cannot become a moral fig leaf for the obliteration of Gaza. Political convenience or media attention spans should not constrain the human capacity for empathy and justice. If we truly care about peace, stability and human dignity in the Middle East, then we must care about Gaza — no matter what else is burning. The road to peace in the region cannot be paved over mass graves in Gaza. And until the world reclaims its moral clarity and refuses to be distracted by the convenient theater of geopolitics, the suffering will continue — silently, but no less tragically.
Arab News
37 minutes ago
- Arab News
Philippines struggles to evacuate nationals from Iran amid Israeli bombardment
MANILA: The Philippines is struggling to evacuate its nationals from Iran as exit routes are difficult to secure, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said on Wednesday, as an increasing number of them are seeking to leave amid growing destruction from Israeli bombardment. The Philippine embassy in Tehran estimating that some 700 Filipinos live in Iran. Most are married to Iranian nationals and initially were not willing to leave when the attacks started last week. 'But now, some are saying they're scared, so they're asking for help to get out. The problem we're facing in evacuating them is that — because of the war — many airports are closed,' Marcos told reporters in Quezon City. 'We're looking for a route through which we can get them out.' Following Israeli attacks, Iran has suspended flights at major airports. Neighboring countries such as Iraq and Jordan have also closed their airspace, making air evacuations nearly impossible Some countries are evacuating citizens by land via Azerbaijan and Turkiye, but these journeys are long due to distance, heavy traffic, fuel shortages and potential Israeli strikes. The Philippine government is also planning to pull non-essential personnel out of the embassy in Tehran and raise the alert level for nationals in Iran to 'voluntary repatriation phase,' Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Eduardo Jose De Vega told the Philippine News Agency. 'We cannot raise it to mandatory because most of the Filipinos there won't go home anyway, they have Iranian families there,' he said. Israeli attacks on Iran began on Friday, when Tel Aviv hit more than a dozen Iranian sites — including key nuclear facilities and the residences of military leaders and scientists — claiming it was aiming to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons. Daily attacks have been ongoing for the past six days after Iran retaliated with ballistic missile strikes against Israel. The Israeli military has intensified its bombing of civilian targets, hitting Iran's state broadcaster in Tehran and a hospital in Kermanshah. On Wednesday alone, it said it had hit 40 sites across the country. According to the Iranian Ministry of Health and Medical Education, at least 224 people have been killed and 1,481 wounded in the attacks since Friday; however, various media outlets report casualty numbers could be at least twice that many.
Al Arabiya
an hour ago
- Al Arabiya
German minister to Iran: it's never too late to negotiate with Israel
Germany's foreign minister appealed to Iran's leaders to make credible assurances that it is not seeking a nuclear weapon and to show it is willing to find a negotiated solution as fears mount of further military escalation between Iran and Israel. 'We are still ready to negotiate a solution. However, Iran must act urgently ... it is never too late to come to the negotiating table if one comes with sincere intentions,' Johann Wadephul said at a news conference with his Jordanian counterpart on Wednesday. Wadephul said Israel's fear that Iran would develop nuclear weapons was justified and it had a right to self-defense. 'The Israeli decision to do something against this threat is comprehensible,' he said, adding civilian deaths on both sides were regrettable after air attacks between Iran and Israel. His ministry was arranging special flights later on Wednesday and on Thursday to each repatriate about 180 German citizens via Amman, he said. Wadephul also said Germany had agreed to create an economic council with Syria to improve cooperation and boost prosperity and stability there.
