Saudi Arabia

China may be the biggest winner from UAE’s OPEC exit

The true drivers of the UAE’s decision to exit OPEC hinge on the shifting alliances of the Arabian peninsula, centred on the rivalry between Saudi Arabia and the UAE, says Middle East Institute-NUS fellow Jing Lin. China stands to benefit, not only in oil supplies but in wider aims like the internationalisation of the RMB — but only if it plays its cards right in balancing between the two regional heavyweights.

Jing Lin

Can the Gulf-South Asia corridor rewire global trade and energy flows?

The Strait of Hormuz crisis has driven alternative routes, strengthening energy supply chains and boosting cooperation across the Middle East, Central Asia and South Asia, while expanding cross-border trade — so the outlook is not entirely bleak despite disruption at Hormuz, says Chinese academic Peng Nian.

Peng Nian

Fear of long war hits China’s Gulf investors hard

China’s Gulf investment outlook is under pressure as expectations of a drawn-out Iran conflict grow, with analysts saying a narrow ceasefire window will determine whether risk appetite recovers or further deteriorates. Lianhe Zaobao associate China news editor Sim Tze Wei reports.

Sim Tze Wei

The rise of Pakistan in the emerging diplomacy over Iran

​Pakistan, the only Muslim-majority nuclear-armed state, is now a key conduit of the Iran war. Its security ties with Saudi Arabia boost its regional clout, while its links to both the US and China show that in crises, the most important states are not the strongest, but those that other actors can still use.

Hao Nan

How Israel’s Somaliland gambit helps Taiwan box in China

China worries that Israel’s recognition of Somaliland as an independent state would set a precedent for Taiwan. It is also concerned about the greater transfer of security know-how and regional contacts to Taiwan via the Taiwan-Israel-Somaliland entente. Italian commentator Emanuele Scimia explains.

Emanuele Scimia

Chinese firms bullish on the Gulf despite geopolitical storms

Chinese firms are expanding in the Gulf despite regional rivalries and tensions. Profitable projects, resilient logistics and growing demand make the Middle East a long-term growth frontier rather than a risk to avoid. Middle East Institute-NUS research fellow Jing Lin shares her insights.

Jing Lin

China’s power in the Middle East has hard limits

China is becoming harder to ignore in the Middle East. Yet the gap between economic presence and strategic power remains wide, even as American policy swings, argues US academic John Calabrese.

John Calabrese

Don’t turn to China in every crisis

From Iran to Venezuela, everyone expects China to act. But Beijing moves with a single aim: safeguard its own long-term plans, stepping in overseas only when stakes hit home, says academic Hao Nan.

Hao Nan

China just shifted gears in the Middle East

As war, rivalry and realignment grip the Middle East, China is abandoning its patient, low-risk approach. Beijing is accelerating diplomacy, security engagement and economic planning — raising both its influence and its exposure. Academic Alessandro Arduino explores the situation.

Alessandro Arduino

Beijing’s quiet advance: How China and Saudi Arabia are deepening defence ties

As US–Saudi relations face growing uncertainty, Beijing is quietly expanding its footprint in the Kingdom’s defence and security sphere — through military drills, high-level diplomacy and an assertive presence at defence fairs. Academic Ghulam Ali analyses the deepening ties.

Ghulam Ali

Hong Kong’s new pivot: From Western gateway to Middle Eastern bridge

Hong Kong is embedding itself in a multipolar, collaborative network linking Asia and the Middle East, says US academic John Calabrese. For Gulf economies diversifying beyond hydrocarbons, it offers trusted legal and financial structures; for Chinese firms, a safe entry point into Middle Eastern markets; and for Gulf investors, a strategic partner facilitating informed access to Chinese assets.

John Calabrese

How Qatar’s strike shattered illusions and ended Gulf complacency

After Israel’s strike in Qatar, the veil has been lifted that the Gulf states and their close alignment with the US would leave them unscathed. In the aftermath, the Gulf states are thinking hard about how to keep the American superstructure, but wire in alternative circuits so no single partner can pull the plug, says academic Hao Nan.

Hao Nan