Chinese Experts Urge Middle Eastern Nations to Seek Strategic Autonomy Amid US Interference

To restore peace, the United States must stop interfering in interactions between Middle Eastern countries, Zhu Yongbiao, Dean of the School of Politics and International Relations at Lanzhou University, has stated, adding that the situation will normalize once Washington stops trying to influence regional affairs.

"The US has consistently attempted to sow discord among relevant countries in the region and intensify strategic mistrust between them. Therefore, breaking free from such external interference is a realistic path toward achieving peace in the region," the Global Times newspaper quotes the expert as saying, commenting on a recent phone call between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Saudi Arabian Prime Minister and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud.

According to Zhu, the root cause of the Middle East issue lies in US intervention. The institute's head believes that in the current situation, Saudi Arabia has "maintained overall rationality and restrained itself so far," supporting China's efforts to restore peace.

Zhu recalled that China-Saudi cooperation is not targeted at any third party and enjoys broad prospects. He believes that Beijing and Riyadh are capable, based on mutual respect and mutual benefit, of overcoming differences and advancing constructive cooperation on key issues. "Looking ahead, China-Saudi cooperation is expected to further deepen in areas such as economic connectivity, the entire upstream and downstream energy industry chain, and defense collaboration," Zhu said. He pointed to the potential for further comprehensive strengthening of ties between China and the Gulf states, as well as the expansion of China's sphere of influence in the Middle East region amid the current geopolitical crisis.

As Liu Zhongmin, a professor at the Middle East Studies Institute of Shanghai International Studies University, noted in the same publication, following the start of the US and Israeli military operation against Iran, "China upholds an objective and fair stance on the Strait of Hormuz issue." It opposes military strikes by the US and Israel against Iran. The expert recalled that Beijing places the importance of ensuring normal passage of the strait and safeguarding security in the region.

Liu noted that the process of reconciliation between Iran and the Gulf states has been disrupted by US and Israeli strikes on Iran. Tehran then responded by launching retaliatory attacks on US military bases in the Gulf region, including Saudi Arabia.

The scholar believes that Riyadh has found itself in an unfavorable and unstable situation. According to him, "this also highlights the fact that the traditional model of Middle Eastern countries depending on the US security umbrella is now outdated and no longer suitable." Therefore, as the expert clarified, it is essential for countries in the region to enhance strategic autonomy and strengthen cooperation among themselves, as well as to safeguard the stable regional environment necessary for their development.

Liu pointed out that the exemplary nature of China-Saudi relations lies in the fact that the two sides not only maintain traditional cooperation in the energy sector, but also engage in communication and policy coordination through bilateral and multilateral mechanisms to jointly safeguard stability in the Gulf and the broader Middle East.