My take: expecting China to ride in and help secure the Strait of Hormuz because it buys a lot of Iranian oil feels naive. Beijing wants the oil flowing, sure, but it also likes letting the US spend money and take the heat policing sea lanes. That's the whole deal they've enjoyed for years. If there's a crisis, they'll call for "stability," maybe nudge Tehran quietly, and avoid owning the mess. We should stop acting surprised that other powers like free-riding on global security while denouncing us for providing it.