China in the Gulf: Tried Its Best, You Know the Rest

Beijing is rather reluctant to get deeply involved in intra-regional politics in the Middle East, as this could provoke new tensions with the U.S. The current escalation in the Middle East has been described by many as a test of influence for China. For example, the media repeatedly suggested that the United States asked China to put pressure on Iran during the latest ... ... competition with the U.S. and growing global instability, Beijing has decided to act proactively in order to reduce risks to its economy and energy sector. The joint Arab-Israeli air defense and missile defense system being created by the United States on ...