🕷️ Crawler Inspector

URL Lookup

Direct Parameter Lookup

Raw Queries and Responses

1. Shard Calculation

Query:

Response:

Calculated Shard: 80 (from laksa010)

2. Crawled Status Check

Query:

curl -X POST \
  'http://laksa080.int.ahrefs:8124/' \
  -H 'Content-Type: text/plain' \
  -H 'X-ClickHouse-Database: crawler3' \
  -H 'Authorization: Basic YXBpOg==' \
  -d 'SELECT getAhrefsURLFromUnparsed(src_unparsed) AS found_url, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(download_stamp), 0) AS crawl_time, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(props_url_first_seen), 0) AS first_indexed_time, download_http_code AS http_code, src_unparsed AS src_unparsed, src_root_hash AS src_root_hash, history_drop_reason AS history_drop_reason, meta_title AS meta_title, meta_descriptions AS meta_descriptions, attrs_boilerpipe_text AS attrs_boilerpipe_text, attrs_markdown AS attrs_markdown, attrs_readable_markdown AS attrs_readable_markdown, meta_canonical AS meta_canonical FROM crawler3.page_info_local FINAL PREWHERE (src_root_hash, src_unparsed) IN ((getAhrefsRootHashFromUnparsed(getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.wvtf.org/2026-03-05/china-offers-to-mediate-in-us-israel-iran-war\')), getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.wvtf.org/2026-03-05/china-offers-to-mediate-in-us-israel-iran-war\'))) FORMAT JSONEachRow'

Response:

{"found_url":"https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/2026-03-05\/china-offers-to-mediate-in-us-israel-iran-war","crawl_time":1773273595,"first_indexed_time":0,"http_code":200,"src_unparsed":"org,wvtf!www,\/2026-03-05\/china-offers-to-mediate-in-us-israel-iran-war s443","src_root_hash":"523949135225165680","history_drop_reason":null,"meta_title":"China offers to mediate in US-Israel-Iran war | WVTF","meta_descriptions":["China says it will send a special envoy to the Middle East to help mediate the U.S.-Israel-Iran war, as Chinese political elites gather in Beijing for the annual \"Two Sessions.\""],"attrs_boilerpipe_text":"Michel Martin\nPublished March 5, 2026 at 4:47 AM EST\nMICHEL MARTIN, HOST:\nAs the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran expands, China is stepping into the crisis with a high-profile diplomatic move.\nSTEVE INSKEEP, HOST:\nBeijing is sending a special envoy to the Middle East to help mediate.\nMARTIN: We're joined by NPR's China correspondent Jennifer Pak in Beijing for the latest. Jennifer, good morning.\nJENNIFER PAK, BYLINE: Good morning.\nMARTIN: Could you just start by telling us who this envoy is and what we know about his assignment?\nPAK: Well, China today named the envoy it's sending to the Middle East. His name is Zhai Jun, and he's been serving as an envoy to the region since 2019. But the foreign ministry didn't provide more details or say specifically which countries he would be visiting. Now, there are two reasons why China is stepping in. The first is strategic. China has economic interests in the Middle East. It gets part of its oil supply from the region. Here's a Chinese politics expert at the National University of Singapore, Ja Ian Chong.\nJA IAN CHONG: They have this long-standing relationship with the Iranian government. They've invested a lot in Iran. Part of that arrangement has to do with getting oil and gas out of Iran.\nPAK: And that's not just from Iran. China also buys oil and gas from the rest of the region, he says, and now the conflict is affecting that supply.\nThe second reason is a diplomatic one. This is a real opportunity for China to portray itself as a, quote, \"force for peace.\" It has been urging all sides to stop military operations and return to the negotiating table.\nMARTIN: Do we have any sense of whether that cooperation with Iran extends to military assistance?\nPAK: So far, no. And it does raise the question of whether other countries would think it's worthwhile to enter into a strategic partnership with China, given that it doesn't extend to security protection. Analyst Chong offers a different interpretation.\nCHONG: China is trying to feel its way around being a great power again and a great power in the contemporary period.\nPAK: The big question, he says, is what this envoy can realistically achieve, given that China is not impartial in this. China is way more closely aligned with Iran than with either the U.S. or Israel.\nMARTIN: And, Jennifer, how is Beijing making sense of the events of the last few days?\nPAK: Well, Beijing is clearly uncomfortable with what's happening in the Middle East and elsewhere - for example, Venezuela earlier this year - especially since from Beijing's standpoint, the Trump administration has been freely talking about regime change and taking out political leaders unilaterally. It's a sign for the Chinese that the world is getting more volatile. So at an important political meeting just this morning, Premier Li Qiang talked about external challenges.\n(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)\nPREMIER LI QIANG: (Speaking Chinese).\nPAK: He says multilateralism and free trade are under severe threat. For China, this uncertainty is coming at a bad time. Its economic growth is at its lowest in decades. And this morning, Li Qiang also set a goal for China's annual growth of 4.5- to 5%. So China is clearly preparing its population for slower growth and more uncertainty ahead.\nMARTIN: So how is China preparing for this uncertainty?\nPAK: Well, China says it will continue to invest and modernize its military for deterrence. It has increased its defense budget by 7% compared to last year. Also, China is doubling down on industrial manufacturing and tech innovation. All of this is about self-reliance so that when the U.S., say, imposes export controls on American high-tech products, China might hurt less.\nMARTIN: That is NPR's Jennifer Pak in Beijing. Jennifer, thank you.\nPAK: Thank you. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.\nNPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.","attrs_markdown":"[![](https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/af827b1\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/304x60+0+0\/resize\/267x53!\/quality\/90\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fnpr.brightspotcdn.com%2Fdims4%2Fdefault%2Fe8b1556%2F2147483647%2Fresize%2Fx60%2Fquality%2F90%2F%3Furl%3Dhttp%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F3b%2F7e%2Fc31effc04f3fa346a44990546d5d%2Fradio-iq-wvtf.png)](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/)\n\n- [Schedule & Frequencies](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/radio-iq-radio-schedule)\n  \n  - [New Radio IQ programs coming Jan 17](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/radio-iq-new-schedule)\n  - [RADIO IQ](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/radio-iq-radio-schedule)\n  - [WVTF Music](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/wvtf-radio-schedule)\n  - [Frequencies & Coverage Maps](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/frequencies-coverage-maps)\n  - [Listen Live](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/listen-live)\n  - [Radio Reading Service](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/rrs-schedule)\n  \n  - [New Radio IQ programs coming Jan 17](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/radio-iq-new-schedule)\n  - [RADIO IQ](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/radio-iq-radio-schedule)\n  - [WVTF Music](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/wvtf-radio-schedule)\n  - [Frequencies & Coverage Maps](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/frequencies-coverage-maps)\n  - [Listen Live](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/listen-live)\n  - [Radio Reading Service](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/rrs-schedule)\n- [News](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/news)\n  \n  - [Virginia On Demand](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/podcast\/virginia)\n  - [CommonWX Weather & Climate Newsletter](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/commonwx)\n  - [News from Virginia Public Radio](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/news-from-virginia-public-radio)\n  - [Mountain Hurricane— Helene: One Year Later](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/podcast\/mountain-hurricane-helene-one-year-later)\n  - [Tribal Truths Podcast](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/podcast\/tribal-truths)\n  - [Memory Wars Podcast](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/memory-wars)\n  - [Bud Robertson's Civil War Essays](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/civil-war-series)\n  \n  - [Virginia On Demand](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/podcast\/virginia)\n  - [CommonWX Weather & Climate Newsletter](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/commonwx)\n  - [News from Virginia Public Radio](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/news-from-virginia-public-radio)\n  - [Mountain Hurricane— Helene: One Year Later](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/podcast\/mountain-hurricane-helene-one-year-later)\n  - [Tribal Truths Podcast](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/podcast\/tribal-truths)\n  - [Memory Wars Podcast](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/memory-wars)\n  - [Bud Robertson's Civil War Essays](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/civil-war-series)\n- Radio IQ Programs\n  \n  - [New programs coming Jan. 17](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/radio-iq-new-schedule)\n  - [All Things Considered](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/show\/all-things-considered)\n  - [BBC World Service](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/show\/bbc-world-service)\n  - [Fresh Air](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/show\/fresh-air)\n  - [Full Disclosure](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/show\/full-disclosure)\n  - [Here and Now](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/show\/here-and-now)\n  - [Hoot and Holler](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/show\/hootandholler)\n  - 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[Marketplace](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/show\/marketplace)\n  - [Morning Edition](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/show\/morning-edition)\n  - [Naturally Curious](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/show\/naturally-curious)\n  - [The World](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/show\/pris-the-world)\n  - [The Daily](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/show\/the-daily)\n  - [All Programs A-Z](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/all-shows)\n- WVTF Music Programs\n  \n  - [A Little Day Music](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/show\/a-little-day-music)\n  - [Jazz Tonight](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/show\/jazz-tonight-with-leslie-keros)\n  - [The Martha Bassett Show](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/show\/the-martha-bassett-show)\n  - [Met Opera Season 2025-26](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/show\/met-opera-season-2025-26)\n  - [Performance Today](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/show\/performance-today)\n  - [Weekend Classics](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/show\/weekend-classics)\n  - [WVTF Classics](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/show\/afternoon-and-overnight-classics-on-wvtf-music)\n  - [WVTF Music Interviews and Performances](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/wvtf-music-interviews-and-performances)\n  - [All Programs A-Z](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/all-shows)\n  \n  - [A Little Day Music](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/show\/a-little-day-music)\n  - [Jazz Tonight](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/show\/jazz-tonight-with-leslie-keros)\n  - [The Martha Bassett Show](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/show\/the-martha-bassett-show)\n  - [Met Opera Season 2025-26](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/show\/met-opera-season-2025-26)\n  - [Performance Today](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/show\/performance-today)\n  - [Weekend Classics](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/show\/weekend-classics)\n  - [WVTF Classics](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/show\/afternoon-and-overnight-classics-on-wvtf-music)\n  - [WVTF Music Interviews and Performances](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/wvtf-music-interviews-and-performances)\n  - [All Programs A-Z](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/all-shows)\n- [Community Calendar](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/community-calendar)\n  \n  - [Community Calendar](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/community-calendar)\n  - [Submit an Event](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/community-calendar\/events\/create)\n  \n  - [Community Calendar](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/community-calendar)\n  - [Submit an Event](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/community-calendar\/events\/create)\n- About\n  \n  - [Contact Us](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/contact-us)\n  - [Directions](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/directions-to-wvtf)\n  - [Job Openings & Internships](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/wvtf-radio-iq-job-openings-internship-information)\n  - [Volunteer with Us](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/radio-reading-service-information-and-volunteer-sign-up)\n  - [Staff](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/all-people)\n  - [The WVTF Public Radio Friends Council](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/the-wvtf-public-radio-friends-council)\n  - [Celebrate 50 Years of WVTF and Radio IQ](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/celebrate-50-years-of-wvtf-and-radio-iq)\n  \n  - [Contact Us](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/contact-us)\n  - [Directions](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/directions-to-wvtf)\n  - [Job Openings & Internships](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/wvtf-radio-iq-job-openings-internship-information)\n  - [Volunteer with Us](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/radio-reading-service-information-and-volunteer-sign-up)\n  - 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Jennifer, good morning.\n\nJENNIFER PAK, BYLINE: Good morning.\n\nMARTIN: Could you just start by telling us who this envoy is and what we know about his assignment?\n\nPAK: Well, China today named the envoy it's sending to the Middle East. His name is Zhai Jun, and he's been serving as an envoy to the region since 2019. But the foreign ministry didn't provide more details or say specifically which countries he would be visiting. Now, there are two reasons why China is stepping in. The first is strategic. China has economic interests in the Middle East. It gets part of its oil supply from the region. Here's a Chinese politics expert at the National University of Singapore, Ja Ian Chong.\n\nJA IAN CHONG: They have this long-standing relationship with the Iranian government. They've invested a lot in Iran. Part of that arrangement has to do with getting oil and gas out of Iran.\n\nPAK: And that's not just from Iran. China also buys oil and gas from the rest of the region, he says, and now the conflict is affecting that supply.\n\nThe second reason is a diplomatic one. This is a real opportunity for China to portray itself as a, quote, \"force for peace.\" It has been urging all sides to stop military operations and return to the negotiating table.\n\nMARTIN: Do we have any sense of whether that cooperation with Iran extends to military assistance?\n\nPAK: So far, no. And it does raise the question of whether other countries would think it's worthwhile to enter into a strategic partnership with China, given that it doesn't extend to security protection. Analyst Chong offers a different interpretation.\n\nCHONG: China is trying to feel its way around being a great power again and a great power in the contemporary period.\n\nPAK: The big question, he says, is what this envoy can realistically achieve, given that China is not impartial in this. China is way more closely aligned with Iran than with either the U.S. or Israel.\n\nMARTIN: And, Jennifer, how is Beijing making sense of the events of the last few days?\n\nPAK: Well, Beijing is clearly uncomfortable with what's happening in the Middle East and elsewhere - for example, Venezuela earlier this year - especially since from Beijing's standpoint, the Trump administration has been freely talking about regime change and taking out political leaders unilaterally. It's a sign for the Chinese that the world is getting more volatile. So at an important political meeting just this morning, Premier Li Qiang talked about external challenges.\n\n(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)\n\nPREMIER LI QIANG: (Speaking Chinese).\n\nPAK: He says multilateralism and free trade are under severe threat. For China, this uncertainty is coming at a bad time. Its economic growth is at its lowest in decades. And this morning, Li Qiang also set a goal for China's annual growth of 4.5- to 5%. So China is clearly preparing its population for slower growth and more uncertainty ahead.\n\nMARTIN: So how is China preparing for this uncertainty?\n\nPAK: Well, China says it will continue to invest and modernize its military for deterrence. It has increased its defense budget by 7% compared to last year. Also, China is doubling down on industrial manufacturing and tech innovation. All of this is about self-reliance so that when the U.S., say, imposes export controls on American high-tech products, China might hurt less.\n\nMARTIN: That is NPR's Jennifer Pak in Beijing. Jennifer, thank you.\n\nPAK: Thank you. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.\n\n*NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.*\n\n- [Facebook](https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/dialog\/share?app_id=3984886694937219&display=popup&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wvtf.org%2F2026-03-05%2Fchina-offers-to-mediate-in-us-israel-iran-war)\n- [Twitter](https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wvtf.org%2F2026-03-05%2Fchina-offers-to-mediate-in-us-israel-iran-war&text=China%20offers%20to%20mediate%20in%20US-Israel-Iran%20war)\n- [LinkedIn](https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/shareArticle?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wvtf.org%2F2026-03-05%2Fchina-offers-to-mediate-in-us-israel-iran-war&mini=true&title=China%20offers%20to%20mediate%20in%20US-Israel-Iran%20war&summary=China%20says%20it%20will%20send%20a%20special%20envoy%20to%20the%20Middle%20East%20to%20help%20mediate%20the%20U.S.-Israel-Iran%20war%2C%20as%20Chinese%20political%20elites%20gather%20in%20Beijing%20for%20the%20annual%20%22Two%20Sessions.%22&source=WVTF)\n- [Email](mailto:?body=China%20offers%20to%20mediate%20in%20US-Israel-Iran%20war%0A%0Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.wvtf.org%2F2026-03-05%2Fchina-offers-to-mediate-in-us-israel-iran-war%0A%0AChina%20says%20it%20will%20send%20a%20special%20envoy%20to%20the%20Middle%20East%20to%20help%20mediate%20the%20U.S.-Israel-Iran%20war%2C%20as%20Chinese%20political%20elites%20gather%20in%20Beijing%20for%20the%20annual%20%22Two%20Sessions.%22)\n\n![](https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/b94ef8e\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/750x1000+292+0\/resize\/150x200!\/quality\/90\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fnpr.brightspotcdn.com%2Fdims3%2Fdefault%2Fstrip%2Ffalse%2Fcrop%2F1333x1000%200%2078%2Fresize%2F1333x1000%21%2F%3Furl%3Dhttp%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F1e%2Fe6%2F663f6a264498a4064b4642357357%2Fjennifer-pak.JPG)\n\nJennifer Pak\n\nJennifer Pak is NPR's China correspondent. She has been covering China and the region for the past two decades. Before joining NPR in late 2025, Pak spent eight years as the China correspondent for American Public Media's Marketplace based in Shanghai. She has covered major stories from U.S.-China tensions and the property bubble to the zero-COVID policy. Pak provided a first-hand account of life under a two-month lockdown for 25 million residents in Shanghai. Her stories and illustration of quarantine meals on social media helped her team earn a Gracie and a National Headliner award. Pak arrived in Beijing in 2006. She was fluent in Cantonese and picked up Mandarin from chatting with Beijing cabbies. Her Mandarin skills got her a seat on the BBC's Beijing team covering the 2008 Summer Olympics and Sichuan earthquake. For six years, she was the BBC's Malaysia correspondent based in Kuala Lumpur filing for TV, radio, and digital platforms. She reported extensively on the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370. Pak returned to China in 2015, this time for the UK Telegraph in Shenzhen, covering the city's rise as the \"Silicon Valley of hardware.\" She got her start in radio in Grande Prairie, Alberta where she drove a half-ton pickup truck to blend in – something she has since tried to offset by cycling and taking public transport whenever possible. She speaks English, Cantonese, Mandarin and gets by well in French and Spanish. When traveling, Pak enjoys roaming grocery stores and posts her tasty finds on Instagram. \\[Copyright 2026 NPR\\]\n\n![](https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/157b162\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/347x462+0+0\/resize\/150x200!\/quality\/90\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.npr.org%2Fassets%2Fimg%2F2014%2F10%2F31%2Fmartin_bio2_vert-5740b3e9def8656c0289d046637ff5bff43aa0ac.jpg)\n\nMichel Martin\n\nMichel Martin is the weekend host of All Things Considered, where she draws on her deep reporting and interviewing experience to dig in to the week's news. Outside the studio, she has also hosted \"Michel Martin: Going There,\" an ambitious live event series in collaboration with Member Stations.\n\nStay Connected\n\n- [twitter](https:\/\/twitter.com\/@WVTFRADIOIQ)\n- [instagram](https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/wvtfradioiq\/)\n- [facebook](https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/WVTF.RADIOIQ)\n- [linkedin](https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/wvtf-public-radio-fm-89)\n\n© 2026\n\n- [FCC Public File](https:\/\/publicfiles.fcc.gov\/)\n- [EEO](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/our-eeo-compliance-information)\n- [Contest Rules](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/wvtf-radio-iq-contest-rules)\n- [Privacy Policy](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/wvtf-radio-iq-privacy-policy)\n- [Notices](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/wvtf-and-radio-iq-notices)\n- [Contact Us](https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/contact-us)\n\n- [![NPR](https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/8d88fff\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/3000x1000+0+0\/resize\/150x50!\/quality\/90\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F3b%2F0e%2F4c778aed4ef9919259919c0f5f47%2Fnpr-logo-white.png)](http:\/\/www.npr.org\/)\n- [![](https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/6f2f4b8\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/142x60+0+0\/resize\/118x50!\/quality\/90\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ff8%2F04%2F9ec6ffb445b7a1d6419ba4482e98%2Famerican-public-media.png)](http:\/\/www.americanpublicmedia.org\/)\n- [![](https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/4d8110b\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/68x60+0+0\/resize\/57x50!\/quality\/90\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Flegacy%2Fsites%2Fwvtf%2Ffiles%2F201507%2Fbbc-logo_0.png)](http:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news)\n- [![](https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/7b27308\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/92x55+0+0\/resize\/84x50!\/quality\/90\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Flegacy%2Fsites%2Fwvtf%2Ffiles%2F201507%2Fprx-logo.png)](http:\/\/www.prx.org\/)\n- [![](https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/9176d05\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/154x33+0+0\/resize\/154x33!\/quality\/90\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fcc%2F9f%2F7c8dbac042b29f3c1fadf2de0235%2Fvea.png)](http:\/\/www.veanea.org\/)\n- [![](https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/ecf98a9\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/170x50+0+0\/resize\/170x50!\/quality\/90\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F0f%2F3d%2F30b1917a410e9e9297316e396cd6%2Fvprsmall-rev.png)](http:\/\/www.virginiapublicradio.org\/)\n- [![](https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/ff2ada8\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/1280x810+0+0\/resize\/79x50!\/quality\/90\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Flegacy%2Fsites%2Fwvtf%2Ffiles%2F202006%2Fvirginia_tech.jpg)](http:\/\/www.vt.edu\/)\n- [![](https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/d40ce09\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/379x131+0+0\/resize\/145x50!\/quality\/90\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fe4%2F0d%2F32ae5cec49f3a4acd2af3754a60c%2Fvt-foundation-w-background.png)](https:\/\/www.vtf.org\/board-of-directors)","attrs_readable_markdown":"Michel Martin\n\nPublished March 5, 2026 at 4:47 AM EST\n\nMICHEL MARTIN, HOST:\n\nAs the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran expands, China is stepping into the crisis with a high-profile diplomatic move.\n\nSTEVE INSKEEP, HOST:\n\nBeijing is sending a special envoy to the Middle East to help mediate.\n\nMARTIN: We're joined by NPR's China correspondent Jennifer Pak in Beijing for the latest. Jennifer, good morning.\n\nJENNIFER PAK, BYLINE: Good morning.\n\nMARTIN: Could you just start by telling us who this envoy is and what we know about his assignment?\n\nPAK: Well, China today named the envoy it's sending to the Middle East. His name is Zhai Jun, and he's been serving as an envoy to the region since 2019. But the foreign ministry didn't provide more details or say specifically which countries he would be visiting. Now, there are two reasons why China is stepping in. The first is strategic. China has economic interests in the Middle East. It gets part of its oil supply from the region. Here's a Chinese politics expert at the National University of Singapore, Ja Ian Chong.\n\nJA IAN CHONG: They have this long-standing relationship with the Iranian government. They've invested a lot in Iran. Part of that arrangement has to do with getting oil and gas out of Iran.\n\nPAK: And that's not just from Iran. China also buys oil and gas from the rest of the region, he says, and now the conflict is affecting that supply.\n\nThe second reason is a diplomatic one. This is a real opportunity for China to portray itself as a, quote, \"force for peace.\" It has been urging all sides to stop military operations and return to the negotiating table.\n\nMARTIN: Do we have any sense of whether that cooperation with Iran extends to military assistance?\n\nPAK: So far, no. And it does raise the question of whether other countries would think it's worthwhile to enter into a strategic partnership with China, given that it doesn't extend to security protection. Analyst Chong offers a different interpretation.\n\nCHONG: China is trying to feel its way around being a great power again and a great power in the contemporary period.\n\nPAK: The big question, he says, is what this envoy can realistically achieve, given that China is not impartial in this. China is way more closely aligned with Iran than with either the U.S. or Israel.\n\nMARTIN: And, Jennifer, how is Beijing making sense of the events of the last few days?\n\nPAK: Well, Beijing is clearly uncomfortable with what's happening in the Middle East and elsewhere - for example, Venezuela earlier this year - especially since from Beijing's standpoint, the Trump administration has been freely talking about regime change and taking out political leaders unilaterally. It's a sign for the Chinese that the world is getting more volatile. So at an important political meeting just this morning, Premier Li Qiang talked about external challenges.\n\n(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)\n\nPREMIER LI QIANG: (Speaking Chinese).\n\nPAK: He says multilateralism and free trade are under severe threat. For China, this uncertainty is coming at a bad time. Its economic growth is at its lowest in decades. And this morning, Li Qiang also set a goal for China's annual growth of 4.5- to 5%. So China is clearly preparing its population for slower growth and more uncertainty ahead.\n\nMARTIN: So how is China preparing for this uncertainty?\n\nPAK: Well, China says it will continue to invest and modernize its military for deterrence. It has increased its defense budget by 7% compared to last year. Also, China is doubling down on industrial manufacturing and tech innovation. All of this is about self-reliance so that when the U.S., say, imposes export controls on American high-tech products, China might hurt less.\n\nMARTIN: That is NPR's Jennifer Pak in Beijing. Jennifer, thank you.\n\nPAK: Thank you. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.\n\n*NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.*","meta_canonical":null}

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Meta Description	China says it will send a special envoy to the Middle East to help mediate the U.S.-Israel-Iran war, as Chinese political elites gather in Beijing for the annual "Two Sessions."
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Boilerpipe Text	Michel Martin Published March 5, 2026 at 4:47 AM EST MICHEL MARTIN, HOST: As the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran expands, China is stepping into the crisis with a high-profile diplomatic move. STEVE INSKEEP, HOST: Beijing is sending a special envoy to the Middle East to help mediate. MARTIN: We're joined by NPR's China correspondent Jennifer Pak in Beijing for the latest. Jennifer, good morning. JENNIFER PAK, BYLINE: Good morning. MARTIN: Could you just start by telling us who this envoy is and what we know about his assignment? PAK: Well, China today named the envoy it's sending to the Middle East. His name is Zhai Jun, and he's been serving as an envoy to the region since 2019. But the foreign ministry didn't provide more details or say specifically which countries he would be visiting. Now, there are two reasons why China is stepping in. The first is strategic. China has economic interests in the Middle East. It gets part of its oil supply from the region. Here's a Chinese politics expert at the National University of Singapore, Ja Ian Chong. JA IAN CHONG: They have this long-standing relationship with the Iranian government. They've invested a lot in Iran. Part of that arrangement has to do with getting oil and gas out of Iran. PAK: And that's not just from Iran. China also buys oil and gas from the rest of the region, he says, and now the conflict is affecting that supply. The second reason is a diplomatic one. This is a real opportunity for China to portray itself as a, quote, "force for peace." It has been urging all sides to stop military operations and return to the negotiating table. MARTIN: Do we have any sense of whether that cooperation with Iran extends to military assistance? PAK: So far, no. And it does raise the question of whether other countries would think it's worthwhile to enter into a strategic partnership with China, given that it doesn't extend to security protection. Analyst Chong offers a different interpretation. CHONG: China is trying to feel its way around being a great power again and a great power in the contemporary period. PAK: The big question, he says, is what this envoy can realistically achieve, given that China is not impartial in this. China is way more closely aligned with Iran than with either the U.S. or Israel. MARTIN: And, Jennifer, how is Beijing making sense of the events of the last few days? PAK: Well, Beijing is clearly uncomfortable with what's happening in the Middle East and elsewhere - for example, Venezuela earlier this year - especially since from Beijing's standpoint, the Trump administration has been freely talking about regime change and taking out political leaders unilaterally. It's a sign for the Chinese that the world is getting more volatile. So at an important political meeting just this morning, Premier Li Qiang talked about external challenges. (SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING) PREMIER LI QIANG: (Speaking Chinese). PAK: He says multilateralism and free trade are under severe threat. For China, this uncertainty is coming at a bad time. Its economic growth is at its lowest in decades. And this morning, Li Qiang also set a goal for China's annual growth of 4.5- to 5%. So China is clearly preparing its population for slower growth and more uncertainty ahead. MARTIN: So how is China preparing for this uncertainty? PAK: Well, China says it will continue to invest and modernize its military for deterrence. It has increased its defense budget by 7% compared to last year. Also, China is doubling down on industrial manufacturing and tech innovation. All of this is about self-reliance so that when the U.S., say, imposes export controls on American high-tech products, China might hurt less. MARTIN: That is NPR's Jennifer Pak in Beijing. Jennifer, thank you. PAK: Thank you. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR. NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.
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STEVE INSKEEP, HOST: Beijing is sending a special envoy to the Middle East to help mediate. MARTIN: We're joined by NPR's China correspondent Jennifer Pak in Beijing for the latest. Jennifer, good morning. JENNIFER PAK, BYLINE: Good morning. MARTIN: Could you just start by telling us who this envoy is and what we know about his assignment? PAK: Well, China today named the envoy it's sending to the Middle East. His name is Zhai Jun, and he's been serving as an envoy to the region since 2019. But the foreign ministry didn't provide more details or say specifically which countries he would be visiting. Now, there are two reasons why China is stepping in. The first is strategic. China has economic interests in the Middle East. It gets part of its oil supply from the region. Here's a Chinese politics expert at the National University of Singapore, Ja Ian Chong. JA IAN CHONG: They have this long-standing relationship with the Iranian government. They've invested a lot in Iran. Part of that arrangement has to do with getting oil and gas out of Iran. PAK: And that's not just from Iran. China also buys oil and gas from the rest of the region, he says, and now the conflict is affecting that supply. The second reason is a diplomatic one. This is a real opportunity for China to portray itself as a, quote, "force for peace." It has been urging all sides to stop military operations and return to the negotiating table. MARTIN: Do we have any sense of whether that cooperation with Iran extends to military assistance? PAK: So far, no. And it does raise the question of whether other countries would think it's worthwhile to enter into a strategic partnership with China, given that it doesn't extend to security protection. Analyst Chong offers a different interpretation. CHONG: China is trying to feel its way around being a great power again and a great power in the contemporary period. PAK: The big question, he says, is what this envoy can realistically achieve, given that China is not impartial in this. China is way more closely aligned with Iran than with either the U.S. or Israel. MARTIN: And, Jennifer, how is Beijing making sense of the events of the last few days? PAK: Well, Beijing is clearly uncomfortable with what's happening in the Middle East and elsewhere - for example, Venezuela earlier this year - especially since from Beijing's standpoint, the Trump administration has been freely talking about regime change and taking out political leaders unilaterally. It's a sign for the Chinese that the world is getting more volatile. So at an important political meeting just this morning, Premier Li Qiang talked about external challenges. (SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING) PREMIER LI QIANG: (Speaking Chinese). PAK: He says multilateralism and free trade are under severe threat. For China, this uncertainty is coming at a bad time. Its economic growth is at its lowest in decades. And this morning, Li Qiang also set a goal for China's annual growth of 4.5- to 5%. So China is clearly preparing its population for slower growth and more uncertainty ahead. MARTIN: So how is China preparing for this uncertainty? PAK: Well, China says it will continue to invest and modernize its military for deterrence. It has increased its defense budget by 7% compared to last year. Also, China is doubling down on industrial manufacturing and tech innovation. All of this is about self-reliance so that when the U.S., say, imposes export controls on American high-tech products, China might hurt less. MARTIN: That is NPR's Jennifer Pak in Beijing. Jennifer, thank you. PAK: Thank you. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR. NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record. - [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/dialog/share?app_id=3984886694937219&display=popup&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wvtf.org%2F2026-03-05%2Fchina-offers-to-mediate-in-us-israel-iran-war) - [Twitter](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wvtf.org%2F2026-03-05%2Fchina-offers-to-mediate-in-us-israel-iran-war&text=China%20offers%20to%20mediate%20in%20US-Israel-Iran%20war) - [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wvtf.org%2F2026-03-05%2Fchina-offers-to-mediate-in-us-israel-iran-war&mini=true&title=China%20offers%20to%20mediate%20in%20US-Israel-Iran%20war&summary=China%20says%20it%20will%20send%20a%20special%20envoy%20to%20the%20Middle%20East%20to%20help%20mediate%20the%20U.S.-Israel-Iran%20war%2C%20as%20Chinese%20political%20elites%20gather%20in%20Beijing%20for%20the%20annual%20%22Two%20Sessions.%22&source=WVTF) - [Email](mailto:?body=China%20offers%20to%20mediate%20in%20US-Israel-Iran%20war%0A%0Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.wvtf.org%2F2026-03-05%2Fchina-offers-to-mediate-in-us-israel-iran-war%0A%0AChina%20says%20it%20will%20send%20a%20special%20envoy%20to%20the%20Middle%20East%20to%20help%20mediate%20the%20U.S.-Israel-Iran%20war%2C%20as%20Chinese%20political%20elites%20gather%20in%20Beijing%20for%20the%20annual%20%22Two%20Sessions.%22) ![](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/b94ef8e/2147483647/strip/true/crop/750x1000+292+0/resize/150x200!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fnpr.brightspotcdn.com%2Fdims3%2Fdefault%2Fstrip%2Ffalse%2Fcrop%2F1333x1000%200%2078%2Fresize%2F1333x1000%21%2F%3Furl%3Dhttp%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F1e%2Fe6%2F663f6a264498a4064b4642357357%2Fjennifer-pak.JPG) Jennifer Pak Jennifer Pak is NPR's China correspondent. She has been covering China and the region for the past two decades. Before joining NPR in late 2025, Pak spent eight years as the China correspondent for American Public Media's Marketplace based in Shanghai. She has covered major stories from U.S.-China tensions and the property bubble to the zero-COVID policy. Pak provided a first-hand account of life under a two-month lockdown for 25 million residents in Shanghai. Her stories and illustration of quarantine meals on social media helped her team earn a Gracie and a National Headliner award. Pak arrived in Beijing in 2006. She was fluent in Cantonese and picked up Mandarin from chatting with Beijing cabbies. Her Mandarin skills got her a seat on the BBC's Beijing team covering the 2008 Summer Olympics and Sichuan earthquake. For six years, she was the BBC's Malaysia correspondent based in Kuala Lumpur filing for TV, radio, and digital platforms. She reported extensively on the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370. Pak returned to China in 2015, this time for the UK Telegraph in Shenzhen, covering the city's rise as the "Silicon Valley of hardware." She got her start in radio in Grande Prairie, Alberta where she drove a half-ton pickup truck to blend in – something she has since tried to offset by cycling and taking public transport whenever possible. She speaks English, Cantonese, Mandarin and gets by well in French and Spanish. When traveling, Pak enjoys roaming grocery stores and posts her tasty finds on Instagram. \[Copyright 2026 NPR\] ![](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/157b162/2147483647/strip/true/crop/347x462+0+0/resize/150x200!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.npr.org%2Fassets%2Fimg%2F2014%2F10%2F31%2Fmartin_bio2_vert-5740b3e9def8656c0289d046637ff5bff43aa0ac.jpg) Michel Martin Michel Martin is the weekend host of All Things Considered, where she draws on her deep reporting and interviewing experience to dig in to the week's news. Outside the studio, she has also hosted "Michel Martin: Going There," an ambitious live event series in collaboration with Member Stations. 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Readable Markdown	Michel Martin Published March 5, 2026 at 4:47 AM EST MICHEL MARTIN, HOST: As the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran expands, China is stepping into the crisis with a high-profile diplomatic move. STEVE INSKEEP, HOST: Beijing is sending a special envoy to the Middle East to help mediate. MARTIN: We're joined by NPR's China correspondent Jennifer Pak in Beijing for the latest. Jennifer, good morning. JENNIFER PAK, BYLINE: Good morning. MARTIN: Could you just start by telling us who this envoy is and what we know about his assignment? PAK: Well, China today named the envoy it's sending to the Middle East. His name is Zhai Jun, and he's been serving as an envoy to the region since 2019. But the foreign ministry didn't provide more details or say specifically which countries he would be visiting. Now, there are two reasons why China is stepping in. The first is strategic. China has economic interests in the Middle East. It gets part of its oil supply from the region. Here's a Chinese politics expert at the National University of Singapore, Ja Ian Chong. JA IAN CHONG: They have this long-standing relationship with the Iranian government. They've invested a lot in Iran. Part of that arrangement has to do with getting oil and gas out of Iran. PAK: And that's not just from Iran. China also buys oil and gas from the rest of the region, he says, and now the conflict is affecting that supply. The second reason is a diplomatic one. This is a real opportunity for China to portray itself as a, quote, "force for peace." It has been urging all sides to stop military operations and return to the negotiating table. MARTIN: Do we have any sense of whether that cooperation with Iran extends to military assistance? PAK: So far, no. And it does raise the question of whether other countries would think it's worthwhile to enter into a strategic partnership with China, given that it doesn't extend to security protection. Analyst Chong offers a different interpretation. CHONG: China is trying to feel its way around being a great power again and a great power in the contemporary period. PAK: The big question, he says, is what this envoy can realistically achieve, given that China is not impartial in this. China is way more closely aligned with Iran than with either the U.S. or Israel. MARTIN: And, Jennifer, how is Beijing making sense of the events of the last few days? PAK: Well, Beijing is clearly uncomfortable with what's happening in the Middle East and elsewhere - for example, Venezuela earlier this year - especially since from Beijing's standpoint, the Trump administration has been freely talking about regime change and taking out political leaders unilaterally. It's a sign for the Chinese that the world is getting more volatile. So at an important political meeting just this morning, Premier Li Qiang talked about external challenges. (SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING) PREMIER LI QIANG: (Speaking Chinese). PAK: He says multilateralism and free trade are under severe threat. For China, this uncertainty is coming at a bad time. Its economic growth is at its lowest in decades. And this morning, Li Qiang also set a goal for China's annual growth of 4.5- to 5%. So China is clearly preparing its population for slower growth and more uncertainty ahead. MARTIN: So how is China preparing for this uncertainty? PAK: Well, China says it will continue to invest and modernize its military for deterrence. It has increased its defense budget by 7% compared to last year. Also, China is doubling down on industrial manufacturing and tech innovation. All of this is about self-reliance so that when the U.S., say, imposes export controls on American high-tech products, China might hurt less. MARTIN: That is NPR's Jennifer Pak in Beijing. Jennifer, thank you. PAK: Thank you. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR. NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.
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