China’s Diversifying Interests in the Middle East

China's engagement in the Middle East is fundamentally driven by the need for energy security, as it imports approximately half of its crude oil from the region. To mitigate vulnerabilities, Beijing utilizes the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to invest in infrastructure and digital technology, while balancing diplomatic ties between Saudi Arabia and Iran. China has recently acted as a mediator in the Saudi-Iran relationship and is expanding its arms trade, offering alternatives to US weapons. Following the escalation of the Israel-Hamas conflict, China has shifted its approach to favor Palestine and Arab states, viewing its ties with Israel as increasingly expendable to better align with the Global South.

• Energy security is the central pillar of China's Middle East policy because the country is not energy independent and relies on the region for about half of its total crude oil imports, primarily from Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, and the UAE.
• Beijing has positioned itself as a diplomatic broker, successfully mediating a 2023 deal between Saudi Arabia and Iran to resume normal diplomatic relations, which challenges long-standing US dominance in the region.
• China is filling a security gap by selling advanced weaponry to autocratic leaders who seek to diversify away from the US, including Dong-feng ballistic missiles (DF-3s) and Wing Loong drones to Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
• The Israel-Hamas conflict has led China to re-calibrate its regional strategy, leaning toward Palestine and Arab states and treating its relationship with Israel as expendable to galvanize the Global South against the US.
• China is integrating the Middle East into its Digital Silk Road, providing affordable 5G telecoms equipment from Huawei and cloud services from Alibaba, which appeals to regional leaders and aligns with Saudi Vision 2030.

APA

Koning, J. (2023). China’s Diversifying Interests in the Middle East. Peace Research Institute Oslo. https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/bb554a5a-b431-4501-8c08-c7122a1c127a/Final_MidEast 5-2023.pdf?inline=true

Chicago

Koning, Jens. China’s Diversifying Interests in the Middle East. Peace Research Institute Oslo, 2023. https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/bb554a5a-b431-4501-8c08-c7122a1c127a/Final_MidEast 5-2023.pdf?inline=true.

Wikipedia

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BibTeX

@techreport{koning2023chinas, author = {Koning, Jens}, title = {{China’s Diversifying Interests in the Middle East}}, institution = {Peace Research Institute Oslo}, year = {2023}, month = may, url = {https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/bb554a5a-b431-4501-8c08-c7122a1c127a/Final_MidEast 5-2023.pdf?inline=true}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }