The fallout from the war on Iran and the disruption of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz is triggering a geopolitical and economic shockwave far beyond the Gulf, reshaping alliance dynamics from Berlin to Manila and raising new doubts about the credibility of the so-called American security umbrella under President Donald Trump.
As energy markets convulse and US allies question Washington’s reliability, China is increasingly positioning itself as both a strategic alternative and a supplier of green-energy solutions, exploiting the crisis to expand its global influence.
Three major American publications—The Christian Science Monitor, Foreign Policy, and The New York Times—have highlighted how the war on Iran is extending far beyond the battlefield, reshaping economic and political balances across Europe and Asia.
Iran War Sends Shockwaves Through US Alliances
In an opinion article for The Christian Science Monitor, columnist Ned Temko wrote that America’s traditional allies are becoming increasingly uneasy about the durability of their partnership with Washington after the Iran conflict, particularly amid growing perceptions that the Trump administration views them less as strategic partners than as burdens.
According to the article, Washington’s abrupt decision to withdraw 5,000 US troops from Germany caused a stir across Europe, not due to European governments’ opposition to a gradual reduction of the American military presence, but rather due to the timing and punitive tone of the move.
Temko noted that diplomats widely interpreted the decision as retaliation against German Chancellor Friedrich Merz after he publicly criticized the war before a group of high school students and suggested that Iran had “humiliated” the United States.
Trump-Merz relations are on the rocks. One year into his first term, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is struggling on all fronts: the economy, delayed reforms and tensions with the US. DW’s Chief political editor @MKuefner analyses his performance so far 👇 pic.twitter.com/3u7nLp2teI
— DW Politics (@dw_politics) May 7, 2026
The abrupt move left NATO allies scrambling for answers. A spokesperson for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization reportedly acknowledged that alliance leaders were still trying to understand both the meaning of the decision and its suspicious timing.
The article noted that European allies — particularly Germany, France, and Britain — had already begun increasing defense spending in preparation for assuming greater responsibility for Europe’s security against Russian threats. Yet they still rely heavily on the American security umbrella to maintain credible military deterrence.
Temko argued that the anxiety now spreading through Europe has also reached the Asia-Pacific region, which Trump has repeatedly described as the top priority of his foreign policy.
In Asia, the picture increasingly mirrors Europe’s growing unease. Countries such as Japan, South Korea, and the Philippines have accelerated efforts to strengthen their military capabilities but remain deeply dependent on US support in confronting China and North Korea.
At the same time, these countries rely heavily on energy supplies passing through the Strait of Hormuz—a route effectively choked by the war—while facing an American president openly criticizing them for refusing to join military efforts to forcibly reopen the waterway, according to The Christian Science Monitor.
Southeast Asia Reassesses the Balance Between Washington and Beijing
A similar argument was advanced by Alejandro Reyes in an article published by Foreign Policy, which examined the impact of the Iran war on Southeast Asia.
Reyes argued that the crisis has pushed regional governments to reassess the balance between Washington and Beijing — not because of any ideological shift toward China, but out of economic necessity and a desire to reduce exposure to unpredictable American policymaking.
The International Monetary Fund has already warned that Asia is the region most vulnerable to prolonged economic shocks because of its heavy dependence on Middle Eastern fuel supplies.
Reyes wrote that the threat extends far beyond crude oil shortages to include petrochemicals and industrial feedstocks essential for manufacturing and agriculture, further limiting the policy options available to governments across the region.
He pointed to Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. declaring a state of emergency in the energy sector last March as evidence of the severity of the crisis after national fuel reserves fell to critical levels.
American Retreat, Chinese Opportunism
As confidence in the United States continues to erode, China has moved with calculated strategic precision — a shift detailed by The New York Times in a report from Hong Kong.
According to the report, Beijing has exploited the global energy crisis to deepen its influence among fuel-dependent neighboring states, presenting itself as a stable alternative and a more dependable global power at a moment when Washington appears increasingly erratic under President Donald Trump.
Although China remains the world’s largest crude oil importer, it entered the crisis from a position of relative strength after building vast strategic reserves and investing hundreds of billions of dollars in clean-energy technology.
Following the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, Beijing imposed restrictions on petroleum product exports to secure domestic supply—a move that placed several Asian economies under severe pressure and pushed regional governments to seek direct assistance from China.
The report said Vietnam asked Beijing for help in addressing shortages of aviation fuel, while the Philippines sought relief from Chinese restrictions on fertilizer exports. Australia, meanwhile, pursued direct understandings with Chinese officials to ensure the continued flow of fuel shipments.
U.S. President Donald Trump said that he expects to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping, praising what he described as strong economic relations between the United States and China. pic.twitter.com/H7c5oksJgZ
— Reuters (@Reuters) May 8, 2026
China Expands Its Influence Through Energy Diplomacy
According to The New York Times, Beijing has used the crisis to market itself as “Asia’s partner of stability,” stressing that it opposes any prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz while simultaneously promoting renewable energy as a safer alternative to dependence on Middle Eastern fossil fuels.
The newspaper also reported that China intensified diplomatic outreach to the Philippines, Australia, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Bangladesh after the outbreak of the war as part of a broader campaign to expand its economic and political footprint across Asia.
The Iran conflict, the report argued, has handed Beijing a strategic opening to promote its surplus production of electric vehicles, solar panels, and smart-grid technologies at a time when it had been facing mounting international criticism over flooding global markets with low-cost exports.
It added that the prolonged crisis has softened Western criticism of Chinese exports, as many Asian governments increasingly view Chinese technology and energy infrastructure as tools for reducing their vulnerability to geopolitical shocks tied to oil and gas supplies.
Taken together, the coverage by the three publications paints a picture of a rapidly changing world shaped by war, energy insecurity, and intensifying competition between major powers.
As confidence in Washington’s ability to manage global crises without imposing heavy costs on its allies continues to erode, China appears increasingly prepared to exploit every political and economic opening to expand its influence—not primarily through direct military force, but through energy, technology, and economic diplomacy.
Source: Al-Jazeera Net (Edited and translated by Al-Manar English)