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China-Middle East relations

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China-Middle East relations
The latest news, analysis and opinion on China-Middle East relations. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
Open Questions series

Zheng Yongnian on what US’ ‘neocolonialism’, Venezuela operation mean for China

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Illustration: Victor Sanjinez

Liu Qian on Chinese innovation, the US rivalry and women holding up half the sky

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Illustration: Victor Sanjinez Garcia

Fuchsia Dunlop tells how she fell for China’s cuisine and names her perfect dish

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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

80 years on from WWII, China’s interests lie in peaceful Asia-Pacific: Mitter

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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

‘Delusional’: Jeffrey Sachs on why Western hegemony has ended

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Illustration: Henry Wong

Scholar Jing Qian on right-sizing China’s economy in the age of Trump

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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

Zheng Yongnian on what US’ ‘neocolonialism’, Venezuela operation mean for China

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15
Illustration: Victor Sanjinez

Liu Qian on Chinese innovation, the US rivalry and women holding up half the sky

7
Illustration: Victor Sanjinez Garcia

Fuchsia Dunlop tells how she fell for China’s cuisine and names her perfect dish

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5
Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

80 years on from WWII, China’s interests lie in peaceful Asia-Pacific: Mitter

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18
Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

‘Delusional’: Jeffrey Sachs on why Western hegemony has ended

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93
Illustration: Henry Wong

Scholar Jing Qian on right-sizing China’s economy in the age of Trump

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40
Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen
MORE FROM THIS SERIES
Smoke rises above RIyadh amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran. Since the war began on February 28, Iranian missiles and drones have targeted key Saudi infrastructure. Photo: Reuters
US, Israel war on Iran

Shifting Saudi ties: what role could China take after Iran war is over?

Caught between Washington and Tehran, Riyadh may shift towards self-reliance and diversifying partnerships, observers note.

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Diplomacy

Opinion | China’s diplomacy succeeds even if it doesn’t bring Middle East peace

Iran

Xi Jinping says Strait of Hormuz should be open in call with Saudi crown prince

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US, Israel war on Iran

Lesson for China? Iran’s low-cost 358 missile takes out million-dollar US assets

Price of successful ‘drone killer’ said to be one-tenth that of conventional air-defence munitions with comparable range and firepower specs.

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The 358 missile, also known as the SA-67, weighs about 50kg (110lbs) and employs an infrared seeker for target guidance. Photo: Handout
China manufacturing

Iran war energy shock sees Chinese firms recalibrate overseas expansion plans

Businesses are rethinking short-term strategies as they adapt to rising costs and slowing growth across major economies.

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SCMP Exclusives

Exclusive | Hong Kong-flagged tanker passes through Strait of Hormuz in test of US blockade

AVA 6 passage marks at least the second transit of a China-linked tanker through the waterway since the US military operation began.

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US, Israel war on Iran

Hormuz blockade: shipping body slams transit fees as 20,000 seafarers stranded

A ‘retrograde’ toll proposal by Tehran risks similar charges in other vital waterways, warns global association for merchant shipowners and operators.

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A person points at a website tracking marine traffic and showing commercial vessels on the edge of the Strait of Hormuz near the Iranian coast last month. Photo: TNS
US, Israel war on Iran

Xi’s meeting with Abu Dhabi crown prince highlights Gulf turn towards China

Analysts said the trip was a sign that the UAE was seeking ‘more reliable partners’ in the wake of the US-Israeli war on Iran.

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China energy security

China turns to central Asia as US blockade in Hormuz chokes global energy flows

Chinese vice-premier to visit major gas field in Turkmenistan as Beijing aims to shore up energy security and diversify away from volatile maritime routes.

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US, Israel war on Iran

China says open Hormuz key to global interests as Trump blockade looms

Beijing’s foreign ministry denies that China plans to provide weapons and military tech to Iran.

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US President Donald Trump has said that the “the United States Navy, the Finest in the World, will begin the process of BLOCKADING any and all Ships trying to enter, or leave, the Strait of Hormuz”. Photo: Nasa Earth Observatory/AFP
US, Israel war on Iran

‘Blown to hell’: Trump announces US blockade of Strait of Hormuz

The US plans to block ‘all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports’ starting on Monday.

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US President Donald Trump says the American navy will block entry to the Strait of Hormuz. Photo: TNS
US, Israel war on Iran

Yuan tokens and oil-linked fees? China experts propose ‘innovative’ Hormuz tolls

Analysts warn Trump’s ‘joint venture’ plan with Iran could formalise grey zone, while Beijing balances roles as mediator, energy importer.

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US, Israel war on Iran

Strait of Hormuz: is a Trump‑Iran joint venture really possible?

With regime change increasingly out of reach, the US president may pivot towards a business deal with Tehran’s fractured leadership.

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Japan

China’s Iran war strategy, Trump’s Hormuz ask: 7 global relations reads

From a China-Israel call on Iran to an unlikely nuclear deal, here are highlights from the SCMP’s overseas correspondents in March 2026.

US President Donald Trump speaks to reporters before boarding Air Force One. Photo: AFP via Getty Images
US, Israel war on Iran

China-Pakistan five-point plan to end Iran war

China and Pakistan launched an initiative to restore stability in the Middle East.

Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar (left) meets his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Beijing on January 4. Photo: AFP
Banking & finance

Opinion | Dubai’s loss could be Hong Kong’s gain, but only if city is ready

The case for Hong Kong as a recipient of displaced Gulf wealth is sound but the city must ensure it has the capacity to absorb new capital and talent.

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Middle East

Chinese container ships pass through Strait of Hormuz at second attempt, data shows

The two ships, which had turned back on Friday, are the first non-Iranian container ships to leave the Gulf since the war began.

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China trade

Will Iran’s strikes on Gulf smelters strengthen China’s aluminium dominance?

Analysts say disruption at plants could shift more output to China, which already produces more than half of global supply.

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A drone view shows an employee working on the production line of aluminium products at a factory in Huaibei, Anhui province, China, in February 2025. Photo: Reuters
China food security

China rushes to stabilise fertiliser market as Iran war chokes off imports

China is pushing firms to release their fertiliser reserves in time for the vital spring planting season, as supplies of key inputs tighten.

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US-China relations

Why China’s Iran war strategy is working – and may even be an opportunity

Beijing happy to watch, wait and safeguard core interests – oil flows, Taiwan and trade – as its geopolitical rival spends resources on war.

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US, Israel war on Iran

China calls for US-Iran talks as war upends Gulf states’ global ties

Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi advocated peace talks in a call with his Iranian counterpart, while Gulf states rethink their international relations.

Photo: Reuters
China manufacturing

Buying goods in China? Suppliers forced to scale back as Iran war bites

Some Chinese producers are already feeling ‘intense’ strain as the conflict sends energy, logistics and raw material costs soaring.

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Smoke and flames rise above Tehran after air strikes on an oil depot on March 7. The economic disruptions caused by the US-Israel war on Iran have pushed up costs for Chinese manufacturers, causing some factories to halt production. Photo: TNS
US, Israel war on Iran

Opinion | When it comes to the Persian Gulf, China’s top priority is economics

Beijing’s refusal to pick sides between Iran and other Gulf states affirms its strategic positioning rather than a desire to shift paradigms.

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US, Israel war on Iran

What if US ground forces march into Iran? Chinese experts weigh the risks

Seizing Kharg Island may ‘give the US greater leverage to pressure Iran into making concessions’: South China Sea analyst.

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China energy security

Strait of Hormuz tensions rise as Iran reportedly charges ships for safe passage

Around 20,000 seafarers are still stuck in the Gulf as Tehran reportedly charges at least one tanker about US$2 million to pass through the strait.

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A liquefied petroleum gas tanker is anchored near the Strait of Hormuz, which remains almost entirely closed to shipping traffic amid the US-Israeli war on Iran. Photo: Photo: Reuters
2026 Trump-Xi summit

Open Questions | US ex-diplomat’s inside view on Trump-Xi summits

Former envoy in Beijing William Klein on US leader’s approach to foreign policy, tariffs, China weaponising rare earths and risks of Taiwan conflict.

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Illustration: Victor Sanjinez
US, Israel war on Iran

Chinese analysts draw lessons from military decapitations in Iran, Venezuela

Beijing would not overestimate impact of decapitation strike on Taiwan, seeing it just as part of amphibious landing operation, analyst says.

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US, Israel war on Iran

Can China stay friendly with Gulf states and Iran as fighting escalates?

Iranian strikes on neighbouring states in response to US and Israeli attacks highlight how difficult Beijing’s balancing act has become.

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