Between the Superpowers: Gulf States and Israel Navigate the New Mideast Dynamics

Abstract

China has become increasingly active in the Middle East over the past decade, both economically and politically. Its strategy aims to expand its reach and influence, while warily avoiding the region's chronic instability. The Gulf states and Israel have sought to leverage China's economic growth and global influence to advance their interests. This article explores the strategies of key Gulf countries, Israel, and Iran toward China in their efforts to manage the fast-changing regional dynamics. It first examines their economic ties with Beijing and then discusses their political relations. The analysis also reviews how the intensifying superpower competition between the United States and China is shaping both the region and the foreign policies of its constitutive states. This article is part of a special issue on the responses of Gulf countries to rising Sino-American competition, edited by Andrea Ghiselli, Anoushiravan Ehteshami, and Enrico Fardella.