As the UN gears up for yet another argument over sanctions on Iran, the position of China is increasingly critical. The votes of Russia, Turkey and Brazil will all matter a lot when the UN Security Council debates the issue. But if the Chinese decide to veto a new sanctions package, it will be dead. If they go along with tougher action to rein in the Iranian nuclear programme, then new measures will almost certainly get through. Everybody from American diplomats to Israeli generals have trooped to Beijing to try to make the case for action.
聯合國(UN)正積極準備，就對伊朗制裁進行新的論證。在此之際，中國的立場變得越發關鍵。當聯合國安理會(UN Security Council)討論這一問題時，俄羅斯、土耳其和巴西的投票都將舉足輕重。但如果中國決定投票反對新的一攬子制裁措施，它就將無果而終。如果中國贊同采取更強硬的措施來遏制伊朗核項目，則幾乎可以肯定，新措施將獲得通過。從美國外交官到以色列將軍，人們成群結隊地前往北京，試圖說服中國支持采取制裁行動。