China has denied reports that Chinese entities supplied Iran with satellite imagery of a military base housing US troops in Jordan before and after an Iranian missile strike that killed three American soldiers.
Beijing on Monday described the reports as “groundless,” rejecting allegations that Chinese satellite companies provided Tehran with intelligence linked to the July 17 attack on Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan.
The reports, published by the Wall Street Journal over the weekend, cited unnamed US officials but did not identify the Chinese entities allegedly involved or suggest that Beijing was directly responsible for providing the information.
“We firmly oppose groundless suspicion and accusations without evidence,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said at a regular news conference on Monday.
The controversy comes at a sensitive moment in US-China relations, with Chinese President Xi Jinping scheduled to visit the White House on September 24.
US President Donald Trump appeared to play down the reports on Sunday, acknowledging that both countries conduct 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 told reporters aboard Air Force One.
“That’s what we do. They basically do what we do,” he added.
According to the Wall Street Journal, US officials had asked Chinese officials for evidence concerning the alleged transfer of satellite imagery to Iran. Beijing, however, did not acknowledge that Chinese companies had provided Tehran with satellite images and demanded proof of the reported transfer.
The allegations have heightened scrutiny of China’s growing strategic relationship with Iran, particularly its economic and diplomatic ties with Tehran.
Trump has previously warned Beijing against selling weapons to Iran. In May, Washington sanctioned three China-based satellite companies over allegations that they enabled Iran’s military operations.
China remains one of Iran’s most important economic partners, purchasing a significant share of the country’s oil exports while also providing diplomatic backing.
Despite the latest controversy, Trump struck a conciliatory tone when discussing his relationship with Xi, saying the Chinese leader had “behaved reasonably well” and that Washington and Beijing were also behaving reasonably.
Asked whether he would allow Chinese-made cars to be sold in the United States, Trump said he had prevented such sales, arguing that US tariffs had kept them out of the American market.
The reported satellite intelligence controversy adds another layer to the complex relationship between Washington and Beijing, as both powers balance strategic rivalry, economic interests and their respective relationships with Tehran.