The China Challenge in the Middle East

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When Chinese leader Xi Jinping brokered a rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Iran, the White House welcomed the news. According to the administration, reduced tensions between the Middle Eastern countries further the president’s long-stated goals and does not represent a significant change in China’s role in the region.

But some analysts regard the deal as a watershed moment—clear proof that Beijing sees the Middle East as a primary arena of competition with the United States. Moreover, China believes that it has scored significant blows to America's status as the undisputed strategic actor in the region. Michael Doran, the director of Hudson's Center for Peace and Security in the Middle East, will discuss this matter with Hudson Senior Fellow Mohammed Khalid Alyahya.