China insisted Tuesday that it has not shifted its approach on Iran’s nuclear program, despite White House claims on Monday that Beijing had become more open to sanctions on Tehran.

Jiang Yu, a spokeswoman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, told reporters in Beijing that “China has always believed that sanctions and pressure cannot fundamentally resolve the issue” of concern about Iran’s nuclear program, according to the official New China News Agency.

She said that China “upholds its consistent stance on the Iran nuclear issue.” Beijing opposes Iran gaining nuclear weapons and supports a “dual-track strategy,” combining negotiations with pressure, she said. Go to LA Times.

TEHRAN — In what looks like a strong, budding friendship, China is increasingly buying Iranian oil and gas, participating in Iranian infrastructure projects, and selling vast amounts of exports to Iran while warning the West against tougher sanctions over the country’s nuclear program.

China also increasingly shares Iran’s anti-Western rhetoric and demands for more influence for non-Western nations.

Yet, according to politicians, businessmen and analysts, few Iranians expect the growing ties to turn into a new, lasting political axis. And there is mounting concern that Iran is becoming too dependent on China, both economically and politically. Go to Washington Post.

China depends on Iranian oil — 12 per cent of its oil imports come from Iran — and this is likely to be one of the main constraining factors in Beijing’s approach to sanctions.

The setback for Mr Obama came in the form of a regular press briefing given by the Chinese Foreign Ministry in Beijing today. The spokesman said: “China always believes that dialogue and negotiation are the best way out for this issue. Pressure and sanctions cannot fundamentally solve it.” Mr Jiang said that China supported a “dual-track” strategy, continuing dialogue with Tehran while considering the possibility of sanctions if that failed. Go to Times UK.

The Chinese government says it hasn’t changed its approach to sanctions against Tehran, following White House talk of cooperation. Go to LA Times.

Dialogue, not sanctions, is the best way to handle negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program, China’s Foreign Ministry said Tuesday. Go to CNN.

Free Iran:  Imagine yourself as a Chinese official.  Wouldn’t you use Iran as a convenient leverage against the US’ pressures  to let the Yuan appreciate?

WASHINGTON (Dow Jones)–Chinese President Hu Jintao told his U.S. counterpart, Barack Obama, during talks Monday that letting the Chinese currency appreciate against the dollar wouldn’t solve the trade imbalances between the two countries. Go to WSJ.

WASHINGTON — President Obama secured a promise from President Hu Jintao of China on Monday to join negotiations on a new package of sanctions against Iran, administration officials said, but Mr. Hu made no specific commitment to backing measures that the United States considers severe enough to force a change in direction in Iran’s nuclear program. Go to NY Times.

BEIJING (Reuters) – China said on Tuesday it wanted any U.N. Security Council action on Iran to promote a diplomatic way out of the nuclear standoff, edging closer to openly backing a resolution while hedging on sanctions. Go to Washington Post.

WASHINGTON—U.S. President Barack Obama and Chinese President Hu Jintao, meeting on the first day of a nuclear security summit, agreed to step up pressure on Iran for its nuclear program, the U.S. said, but the two nations still appear divided on how to apply that pressure. Go to WSJ.

After months of reluctance to participate in sanctions against Iran for its nuclear weapons program, Chinese leaders are now agreeing in concept to sanctions, White House officials said today.

“This is a substantive and positive step forward,” a national security official told ABC News. Go to ABC News.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Amid a sudden upswing in relations, President Barack Obama and Chinese President Hu Jintao sought common ground Monday on Iran, agreeing that a set of potential sanctions should make clear to Iran the cost of continued nuclear defiance, a White House official said. Go to NY Times.

China has made clear to the United States and four other world powers that it dislikes a proposed ban on new investments in Iran’s energy sector as part of a new round of U.N. sanctions, diplomats said on Sunday. Go to Reuters.

The Obama administration is claiming that it finally has support from China and Russia for “crippling sanctions” on Iran over its nuclear program.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton recently proclaimed that America and China are “unified” on the sanctions issue, while President Obama said he expects a new United Nations Security Council sanctions resolution “within weeks.”

But there’s a catch: These hopeful statements jibe neither with reality nor with experience. Go to original article.

WASHINGTON — The new nuclear disarmament treaty between the United States and Russia should help boost China’s support for sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Friday. Go to AFP.