China in the Mideast

(L-R) Mahmoud al-Aloul, Vice Chairman of the Central Committee of Palestinian organisation and political party Fatah, China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi, and Mussa Abu Marzuk, senior member of the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas, attend an event at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing on July 23, 2024. China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi on July 23 hailed an agreement by 14 Palestinian factions to set up an "interim national reconciliation government" to govern Gaza after the war. (Photo by Pedro Pardo

Regional View

'The Beijing Declaration,' China brokers Hamas-Fatah unity deal: What we know

China’s role in the region has been growing in recent years, reaching its peak with the signing of a declaration by Palestinian factions in which they agreed to form a unity government.

ACWA Power and China Southern Power Grid representatives.

Quick Take

Saudi-China energy cooperation strengthened by Uzbek wind project sale

Both Saudi Arabia and China are seeking to tap into Uzbekistan's and Central Asia’s energy potential.

Quick Take

After 20 years, is Iraq making progress in bid to join WTO?

Iraq first applied to join the WTO in 2004, but it made no considerable progress in the accession until its recent efforts to unify tariff and customs regulations between the federal and Kurdistan Region governments.

United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan reviews the honour guard.

Quick Take

China, UAE hold air force drills in Xinjiang as defense relations grow

The joint air force training exercise, dubbed Falcon Shield, began on Wednesday in the northwest Xinjiang province of China and will continue until late July.

United Arab Emirates

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Regional View

China's BYD, world's biggest EV maker, invests $1B in Turkish plant

A BYD Ocean-M electric car is displayed at the Beijing Auto Show in Beijing on April 25, 2024.

Quick Take

Erdogan meets Xi, praises Turkey’s ties with China-led SCO bloc

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is in Astana for the 24th Summit of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, meets with President Xi Jinping of China, on July 4, 2024.

Israel, China seek new accommodation as fissures grow over Gaza war

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the Great Hall of the People on March 20, 2017, in Beijing, China.

Dale Aluf

By Dale Aluf

In Amsterdam, reporting on China in the Middle East

Does China have favorite in Iran's presidential election?

A man gestures as he holds up a small election flag during a campaign rally for reformist candidate Massoud Pezeshkian at Afrasiabi Stadium in Tehran on June 23, 2024 ahead of the upcoming Iranian presidential election. (Photo by ATTA KENARE / AFP) (Photo by ATTA KENARE/AFP via Getty Images)

Yun Sun

By Yun Sun

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

Quick Take

US cautious on Iran’s Bahrain frozen funds claims, warns of sanctions

Pictured are participants of the 19th Asia Cooperation Dialogue Ministerial Meeting held June 24, 2024, in Tehran.

met with Chen Wenqing, member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Head of the Commission for Political and Legal Affairs of the CPC Central Committee, in Beijing

Quick Take

Turkey’s Fidan arrives on first visit to China, will travel to Uyghur region

Fidan is also slated to travel to the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, in the first high-level visit to the region since 2012.

The Sudanese (L) and Saudi flag are seeing flying on the tarmac during a joint Sudan and Saudi Arabia air force drill at the Marwa air base, near Meroe some 350 kilometres north of Khartoum, on April 9, 2017.

Analysis

Can Gulf investors outstrip China in Africa as UAE expands reach?

As the UAE, Saudi Arabia and other GCC states boost investments in Africa,Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative could face serious challenges.

Sabena Siddiqui

By Sabena Siddiqui

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

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Regional View

US reportedly slows AI chip exports to Mideast as Saudi Arabia turns to China

Washington has further restricted imports of critical components for AI systems to certain countries, including some undisclosed ones in the Middle East.

Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa (front row, 4th-L), Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi (front row, 5th-L) China's President Xi Jinping (front row, 5th-R), United Arab Emirates' President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (front row, 4th-R), Tunisia's President Kais Saied (front row, 3rd-R) and delegations pose for a family photo ahead of the opening ceremony of the 10th Ministerial Meeting of China-Arab States Cooperation Forum at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse, May 30, 2024, Beijing, China.

China's largest Arab summit wraps with 'Beijing declaration': What we know

The meeting in Beijing in the presence of Arab leaders comes as the war in Gaza rages on, while China seeks a wider role in the region.

Beatrice Farhat

By Beatrice Farhat

In Beirut, reporting on regional news, culture, conflict

Chinese President Xi Jinping (L) walks next to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi as they review the honour guard during a welcome ceremony for Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi at the Great Hall of the People on May 29, 2024, in Beijing, China.

Egypt's Sisi gets red-carpet welcome in China, discusses infrastructure projects

Beijing is hosting leaders from Egypt, the Gulf and Syria this week for the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum, another example of strengthening ties.

Adam Lucente

By Adam Lucente

In New York City, reporting on regional news, militancy, climate change

India's prime minister, Narendra Modi, and his Saudi Arabia counterpart and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (L) shake hands during a session of the G20 Leaders' Summit at the Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on Sept. 9, 2023.

Analysis

Gaza war complicates IMEC plans even as Gulf-India ties warm

The India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor's progress is facing some difficulties related to geopolitical complexities, funding and conflicts in the Red Sea and Gaza.

Adam Lucente

By Adam Lucente

In New York City, reporting on regional news, militancy, climate change

PAU BARRENA/AFP via Getty Images

Regional View

Huawei launches Egypt public cloud service as China ties grow

Last September, Huawei announced that it would pump $430 million into North Africa to build the firm's first cloud center there as well as train thousands of developers and tech specialists.

Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi welcomed by his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in Beijing, China on Feb. 14, 2023.

Analysis

After Raisi's death, China looks for answers on Iran's Khamenei succession

Raisi was hailed as a "good friend" of China and while his death is unlikely to stir those ties, Beijing is keeping watch of the race in Iran to succeed Khamenei.

Yun Sun

By Yun Sun

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

People look at a BYD Seal car by Chinese electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer BYD Auto at the Bangkok International Motor Show in Nonthaburi, March 27, 2024.

Quick Take

Turkey-China in 'advanced' talks on EV manufacturing as Beijing footprint grows

Turkey and the Gulf states are aggressively pursuing electric vehicles with entities eyeing cooperation with China.

A military band welcomed the President with the Russian national anthem, and the Russian tricolor was hoisted over Tiananmen Square.

Saudi cautious as Iran looks to make gains from Putin’s China visit

As Putin was making his way to Beijing, Alexie Miller, chair of Russia’s Gazprom, was in Tehran, where he met First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber and Oil Minister Javad Owji, the company said.

Joyce Karam

By Joyce Karam

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional geopolitics, China in the Middle East

Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas shakes hands with China's President Xi Jinping after a signing ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on June 14, 2023. (Photo by Jade GAO / POOL / AFP) (Photo by JADE GAO/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

With second meeting in June, China finds opportunity in Hamas-Fatah talks

China is increasingly seeing Hamas as a legitimate political force in the political process on Palestine’s future and statehood, refusing to condemn or describe the group as a terrorist organization.

Yun Sun

By Yun Sun

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

A motorcyclist rides past a high school at Panjgur district in Balochistan province on Jan. 17, 2024.

Analysis

China wades into Iran-Pakistan mediation, eyes infrastructure projects

With trilateral action, Beijing hopes to collectively combat terror groups trying to disrupt its mega-project, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

Sabena Siddiqui

By Sabena Siddiqui

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