An agreement between Iran and Saudi Arabia to re-establish diplomatic relations has cast China in a leading role in Middle Eastern politics, a part previously reserved for longtime global heavyweights like the U.S. and Russia.
An agreement between Iran and Saudi Arabia to re-establish diplomatic relations has cast China in a leading role in Middle Eastern politics -- a part previously reserved for longtime global heavyweights like the U.S. and Russia. It's another sign that China's diplomatic clout is growing to match its economic footprint.
"I think it is a sign that China is increasingly confident in taking a more assertive role in the Middle East," said Muhammad Zulfikar Rakhmat, an Indonesian academic affiliated with the Washington-based Middle East Institute. China has invested heavily in regional energy infrastructure. It also occasionally contributed naval ships to join anti-piracy operations off the coast of Somalia, though the U.S. navy has served as the main security guarantor for Mideast waters since the 1980s.
The diplomatic victory comes as Washington has heavily criticized China for failing to condemn Russia's invasion and for accusing the U.S. and NATO of provoking the conflict. China created the position of special envoy for the Middle East in 2002, focusing on Israel and the Palestinian Authority. While China sells drones and other weaponry to countries in the region, it does so nowhere on the scale of the United States and without political conditions.
Though China is active in UN peacekeeping operations, Beijing's previous efforts at third-party mediation have sagged under the weight of its political baggage. A recent Chinese proposal calling for a ceasefire and peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine went nowhere.
France Dernières Nouvelles, France Actualités
Similar News:Vous pouvez également lire des articles d'actualité similaires à celui-ci que nous avons collectés auprès d'autres sources d'information.
China denies hidden motives after hosting Iran-Saudi talksThe agreement announced Friday to reestablish Iran\u002DSaudi ties and reopen embassies after seven years was seen as a major diplomatic victory for China.
Lire la suite »
Saudi Arabia's golf case threatens to spill kingdom secretsA federal lawsuit in California is pitting the Saudi-owned golf tour upstart LIV against the PGA Tour after a judge found that when it came to the new golf league, Saudi officials and the Saudi government aren't shielded from U.S. courts the way sovereign nations usually are.
Lire la suite »
Saudi deal with Iran worries Israel, shakes up Middle EastThe news of the rapprochement between long-time regional rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran sent shockwaves through the Middle East on Saturday and struck a symbolic blow for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Lire la suite »
Oil giant Saudi Aramco makes a historic $161B profit in 2022Oil giant Saudi Aramco reported Sunday earning $161 billion last year, claiming the highest-ever recorded annual profit by a publicly listed company and drawing immediate criticism from activists.
Lire la suite »
Oil giant Saudi Aramco makes a historic $161-billion profit in 2022Profit credited to rising energy prices Russian invasion of Ukraine, with sanctions limiting the sale of Moscow’s oil and natural gas in Western markets
Lire la suite »
Oil giant Saudi Aramco makes a historic US$161B profit in 2022Oil giant Saudi Aramco reported Sunday earning US$161 billion last year, claiming the highest-ever recorded annual profit by a publicly listed company and drawing immediate criticism from activists.
Lire la suite »