China-Iran Trade Ties Disrupted as War Scuttles Planned Tehran Trade Expos

Chinese provincial authorities in Zhejiang, Shaanxi, and Heilongjiang had organized trade expos in Tehran covering automotive parts, pharmaceuticals, and electronics, all of which collapsed when the US-Israeli military campaign began. Government procurement and tender records show Chinese state-backed firms — including Shanghai Baoye, Pinggao Electric, and Chinese Railway Container Transport — had active infrastructure and logistics contracts in Iran in the weeks before the strikes. China, Iran's largest oil buyer under a 25-year cooperation agreement signed in 2021, now faces significant disruption to its commercial footprint in the country. Analysts note the crisis will damage all foreign direct investment into Iran, though Beijing may seek reconstruction contracts if the conflict winds down.