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https://scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3039593/china-blames-chaos-middle-east-united-states-self-serving
China/ Diplomacy

China blames chaos in Middle East on United States’ ‘self-serving swashbuckling’

  • America is the only superpower with real influence in the region, but its unilateral approach is at the root of the problem, assistant foreign minister tells security forum in Beijing
  • Official also accuses other Western nations of applying ‘double standards’ on fighting terrorism
Achieving stability and security in the Middle East requires justice and multilateralism, according to China’s assistant foreign minister. Photo: EPA-EFE

“China on Wednesday blamed the United States’ “self-serving swashbuckling” for the chaos and tension in the Middle East, and said that achieving stability and security in the region required justice and multilateralism.”

Speaking at the opening of the inaugural Middle East Security Forum in Beijing, assistant foreign minister Chen Xiaodong said a lack of justice and fairness, hegemony and unilateralism would only worsen the security crisis in the region.

While there were geopolitical, ethnic and religious reasons for the “chaotic situation” in the Middle East, the US should bear the bulk of the responsibility for it, he said.

“The US, as the only superpower that has significant influence in the Middle East … its self-serving, swashbuckling and unilateral Middle East policy is the prominent reason for the predicament in the Middle East,” Chen said.

The US should bear the bulk of the responsibility for the “chaotic situation” in the Middle East, China’s assistant foreign minister Chen Xiaodong said. Photo: AFP
The US should bear the bulk of the responsibility for the “chaotic situation” in the Middle East, China’s assistant foreign minister Chen Xiaodong said. Photo: AFP

Achieving stability and security in required justice and multilateralism, and all parties should promote cooperation to aid the region’s economic redevelopment, Chen said.

Speaking to representatives on the sidelines of the forum, China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi reiterated Beijing’s position on dealing with the Middle East.

“China has never interfered in the internal affairs of Middle East countries, sought to build a sphere of influence or pursued selfish geopolitical interests,” he said.

“We have always made independent judgments based on the rights or wrongs of the events themselves. China will firmly be a constructor for peace in the Middle East, a promoter for stability in the region and a contributor to the region’s development.”

Chen urged nations to remain committed to the Iran nuclear deal. Photo: AFP
Chen urged nations to remain committed to the Iran nuclear deal. Photo: AFP

The forum agenda includes a discussion of the “development for peace” concept promoted by China as an alternative to the Western idea of “democratic peace”.

Chen said the “land for peace” and “two countries” formulas should also be maintained in Gaza, and that the establishment of an independent state was a non-tradeable principle for Palestine.

He also called for nations to remain committed to the Iran nuclear deal, which the US has abandoned.

On the subject of counterterrorism, Chen said all parties should increase cooperation on intelligence sharing, border control and the transfer of criminal suspects.

“Meanwhile, we should firmly oppose double standards in anti-terrorism, oppose the linking of terrorism with specific religions, [and] oppose using human rights issues as excuses to smear and slander other countries’ efforts on counterterrorism and extremism,” he said, without elaborating.

The two-day security forum was organised by the China Institute of International Studies, a think tank affiliated with China’s foreign ministry. According to the event programme, guests include representatives from several Middle Eastern countries, as well as from Russia and Turkey, researchers from Switzerland, France and the European Union, and a first secretary from the US embassy in Beijing.

A Chinese government adviser at the event said Beijing was keen to air its opposition to US policy in the Middle East, though did not have enough influence of its own to make a difference in the region.

China’s foreign ministry said on Monday it hoped the forum would “offer a new way of thinking about security and governance in the Middle East”.

China’s foreign ministry said it hoped the Beijing forum would “offer a new way of thinking about security and governance in the Middle East”. Photo: Reuters
China’s foreign ministry said it hoped the Beijing forum would “offer a new way of thinking about security and governance in the Middle East”. Photo: Reuters

While China has generally distanced itself from the political and security turmoil in the region, it has increasingly engaged at an economic level – it is a major importer of crude oil – and is keen to protect its interests.

Its military has taken part in anti-piracy and maritime security missions in the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Aden, and helped to evacuate Chinese citizens from Libya in 2011 and Yemen in 2015.

It has also helped to mediate on the Syrian crisis and Iran nuclear deal. China’s ambassador to the United Arab Emirates Ni Jian said in August that the PLA Navy could escort Chinese-flagged commercial vessels in the Persian Gulf, Gulf of Oman and the Strait of Hormuz.

In September, Iranian media reported that China, Russia and Iran were planning a joint naval drill in the Sea of Oman and northern Indian Ocean soon.

“As a strategically important crossroads for trade routes and sea lanes linking Asia to Europe and Africa, the Middle East is important to the future of the BRI [Belt and Road Initiative] – which is designed to place China at the centre of global trade networks,” the European Union on Foreign Relations said in a report in October.

“While it is apparently happy to maintain a more distant role for the moment, China is already showing initial – albeit still small – signs of deepening political and security involvement in the Middle East. It remains to be seen how far the country will take this, and to what end goal,” it said.