China's Han Zheng Rebukes US on Iran, Cuba at UN — SkimNews
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- Han Zheng, addressing the UN General Assembly on September 26, 2026, urged respect for Gulf sovereignty and called on "the relevant country" to stop threatening Cuba and lift its blockade — without naming the U.S.
- The speech stood in contrast to Trump's White House state visit earlier that week, where he hosted Xi Jinping with military flyovers and a lavish dinner after securing Chinese assurances not to support Iran, per the U.S. ambassador to China on September 25, 2026.
- Trump's warning followed reports that Beijing had supplied Iran with shoulder-fired air-defense missile launchers and helped Tehran evade oil sanctions.
- Cuba's electrical grid suffered total collapse earlier this month, leaving millions without power — worsened by a U.S. oil blockade that began in January.
- China used the speech to portray itself as a defender of developing nations, with Han declaring "all countries, big or small, are equal members of the international community."
Why it matters: The speech exposes the gap between Trump-Xi summit optics and substance: Beijing publicly signals it won't abandon Iran or soften on Cuba despite Trump's claim of secured commitments. For Cubans already sitting in darkness from grid collapses worsened by the U.S. oil blockade, China's rhetorical support offers no actual energy relief.
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