China - AL-MONITOR: The Middle Eastʼs leading independent news source since 2012

Great Hall of the People, China

China

June 16, 2026

Beijing 12:36 am

24°C

An unmanned aerial vehicle is seen during a military parade marking the 80th anniversary of victory over Japan and the end of World War II, in Beijing's Tiananmen Square on September 3, 2025. (Photo by GREG BAKER / AFP) (Photo by GREG BAKER/AFP via Getty Images)

Explainer

How Iran war is giving China an opening in Gulf drone market

The ongoing war has helped China carve out a growing role in Gulf defense by offering cheaper, faster and less restricted drone capabilities.

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa (L) stands next to former Syrian rebel leader Issam Buwaydani (C), during a function in Douma on April 23, 2026. Buwaydani returned to Damascus on April 23 nearly a year after his detention for unknown reasons in the United Arab Emirates, a Syrian military official told AFP. (Photo by Bakr ALKASEM / AFP via Getty Images)

Explainer

China wary of Syria's Uyghur militants, but business keeps growing

China’s biggest advantage in Syria may be not aggressive spending but the lack of meaningful Western competition.

Latest News

Feature

With sanctions off, what’s keeping Syria on US terror blacklist?

TOPSHOT - US Secretary of State Marco Rubio (R) meets with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa at the Lotte New York Palace Hotel on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York City on September 22, 2025. (Photo by Bing Guan / POOL / AFP via Getty Images)

Elizabeth Hagedorn

By Elizabeth Hagedorn

In Washington, DC, reporting on diplomacy, regional politics, human rights

Analysis

Speaker, negotiator, China envoy: What Ghalibaf's accumulated powers mean for Iran

Iran's Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf (C) waves as he returns to his car after visiting the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted Beirut's Basta neighbourhood, on October 12, 2024. At least 22 people were killed in Israeli strikes on a densely populated area of central Beirut on October 10, the Lebanese health ministry said, with a security source saying a Hezbollah figure was the target. (Photo by Ibrahim AMRO / AFP) (Photo by IBRAHIM AMRO/AFP via Getty Images)

Jamshid Jamshidi

By Jamshid Jamshidi

Analysis

Why China didn’t hand Trump a breakthrough on Iran

trump xi

Joyce Karam

By Rosaleen Carroll , Joyce Karam

Jack Dutton

Chief Business Correspondent

In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech

Benjamin Houghton

In Durham, reporting on China in the Middle East

Yun Sun

In Washington, DC, reporting on China-Middle East ties

Dale Aluf

In Amsterdam, reporting on China in the Middle East

Emil Avdaliani

Andrea Ghiselli

In Shanghai, reporting on China in the Middle East

China's President Xi Jinping (R) and Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shake hands ahead of their talks at Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing on March 21, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / POOL / Etienne Oliveau (Photo credit should read ETIENNE OLIVEAU/AFP via Getty Images)

Analysis

As Israelis sour on China, Netanyahu provokes Beijing — but to what end?

With China already opposing Israeli actions in Gaza, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accused China and Qatar of orchestrating anti-Israel campaigns on social media.

Rina Bassist

By Rina Bassist

In Paris, reporting on Israeli politics and European affairs

KHALED DESOUKI/AFP via Getty Images

Egypt's Suez Canal Economic Zone posts record $237M revenues

Suez Canal transit revenues declined 54% between July 2024 and March 2025, caused by reduced shipping traffic in the Red Sea amid attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels on commercial vessels.

An Xpeng AeroHT X2 Flying Car is seen on display in Hong Kong on May 17, 2024

China-made flying car makes first test flight in UAE: What to know

The Chinese company is facing competition from a US firm that is currently developing an air taxi service in Dubai.

United Arab Emirates

Chinese President Xi jinping attends a photo session for participants of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit 2025 on Sept. 1, 2025, in Tianjin, China.

China calls on BRICS to boost multilateral trade as Iran, UAE eye closer ties

The UAE’s and Egypt’s trade with BRICS members is on the rise, while Iran’s efforts to increase economic ties are complicated by sanctions.

PARKER SONG/AFP via Getty Images

Iran’s Pezeshkian meets Xi in Beijing as China, Russia try to stall E3 sanctions

Iran’s president met China's in Beijing after the SCO summit, which backed Iran’s against international sanctions and condemned US-Israeli strikes on the country earlier this summer.

Egypt's Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly (2nd R) speaks during a bilateral meeting with China's President Xi Jinping (2nd L) ahead of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit, Tianjin, China, Aug. 30, 2025.

Egypt, Turkey ink investment deals with China on SCO Summit sidelines

Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan were in China for the two-day summit.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi meets with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Aug. 19, 2025.

Analysis

How India-China reset could ease competition over Middle East energy, trade

Experts suggest the improved ties could allow both countries to pursue joint projects and strengthen their economic and strategic roles in the Middle East.

Sabena Siddiqui

By Sabena Siddiqui

In Karachi, reporting on South Asia, Middle East, Iran