event

China’s Rising Influence in the Middle East

Thu. June 8th, 2023
Live Online

Although traditionally focused on economic engagement in the Middle East, in recent months China has indicated a greater willingness to engage in regional conflict mediation. The Saudi-Iran normalization agreement, brokered in Beijing, speaks to China’s growing involvement in regional political and security issues. Chinese officials have also expressed interest in de-escalating the Israel-Palestine crisis and renewing the Iran nuclear deal. Meanwhile, the United States appears to be shifting its strategic focus toward the Indo-Pacific and Eastern Europe. Will China replace the United States as the leading outside power in the Middle East? What role can Beijing play in meditating regional disputes? How are Middle Eastern states responding to rising U.S.-China rivalry?

Paul Haenle will moderate a discussion with Maha Yahya, Yu Jie, and Benjamin Ho on the key issues in China-Middle East relations. This panel is the fifth of the Carnegie Global Dialogue Series 2022-2023 and will also be recorded and published as a China in the World podcast.

Political ReformEconomyCivil SocietyForeign PolicyMiddle EastNorth AfricaEast AsiaChina
Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.
event speakers

Yu Jie

Yu Jie is senior research fellow on China in the Asia-Pacific Programme at Chatham House, focusing on the decision-making process of Chinese foreign policy as well as China’s economic diplomacy.

Benjamin Ho

Benjamin Ho is an assistant professor with the China program at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore.

Maha Yahya

Director, Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center

Yahya is director of the Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center, where her research focuses on citizenship, pluralism, and social justice in the aftermath of the Arab uprisings.

Paul Haenle

Maurice R. Greenberg Director’s Chair, Carnegie China

Paul Haenle held the Maurice R. Greenberg Director’s Chair at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and is a visiting senior research fellow at the East Asian Institute, National University of Singapore. He served as the White House China director on the National Security Council staffs of former presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama.