(From left) Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani at the meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Council of Heads of State in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan on June 14, 2019. Six months later, warships of Iran, Russia and China were engaged in naval war games in the Gulf of Oman. Photo courtesy of CNN

To begin with, China was in a deep trade war with the United States. The Soleimani killing, therefore, offered an opportunity for Chinese comeuppance on America in their economic hostilities.

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