In June, as a 12-day war broke between Israel and Iran, US-led military and diplomatic efforts took the spotlight, while China quietly positioned itself in the Middle East using technology, trade, and AI to safeguard its interests calling it the China Middle East strategy.
The US uses weapons and China uses tech, AI, data, and trade systems to stay involved in the Middle East without fighting, hoping to protect its energy and influence.
Although the China military absence in the Middle East has long been taking place for a long time, but China has shifted to have itself presented as a peacemaker in the region, its moves were studied and controlled.
Assistant Foreign Minister Liu Bin met with Iran’s new ambassador in Beijing, Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli, and China joined Russia and Pakistan in proposing a UN resolution for an immediate ceasefire. But the real influence came from Washington.
“China has little ability to affect the situation directly,” said a Chinese Iranian expert at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands, William Figueroa.
“China does not benefit from any kind of wider conflict,” he continued to state, but “has no ability to militarily influence that conflict.”
Energy Security Over Explosive China Middle East Diplomacy
What the China foreign policy restraint lacks in military muscle, it compensates for through its deep economic integration in the region. More than half of its seaborne crude oil imports transit the Strait of Hormuz, a key reason why Beijing is cautious. Iran’s threats to close the strait, if acted upon, could paralyze China’s economy.
Iran also depends on China to buy its oil, with Vortexa estimating Chinese imports will hit 1.5 million barrels this June.
Still, Beijing rejected US requests to pressure the China Iran strategic partnership.
“The US started the war and is now asking China to persuade Iran not to close the Hormuz: This is nonsensical and vile hooliganism,” said the researcher at Shanghai Institutes for International Studies Liu Zongyi.
China’s Ministry of Transport instructed shipping firms to submit daily reports from vessels near the passage part of a tech driven strategy that prioritizes surveillance and data over diplomatic confrontation.
China benefits from Middle East peace expanding use of artificial intelligence, real time satellite monitoring, and predictive trade analytics allows it to manage risks and maintain control without firing a shot. It’s part of a larger effort to position China as a 21st century power broker one that builds a digital infrastructure, offers economic aid, and exports technology instead of troops.
China Middle east Peace Broker Through Data
Beijing has leaned heavily on trade initiatives like the Belt and Road and the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor to build influence. But these efforts are still limited.
“It is still a false proposition for China to [use the Gwadar port to] solve the problem of importing crude oil from the Middle East,” Liu warned.
Yet the China diplomacy in Middle East relations model dominated by AI powered logistics, strategic infrastructure, and economic interdependence may offer a long-term edge.
“The United States is going to be stuck fighting unpopular wars,” said a senior fellow and China expert at the Asia Society, John Delury.
Delury continued to state that “this allows Xi and China to present themselves as the problem solver, the superpower who uses diplomacy and negotiation.”
While Washington controls hard power, China is playing the long game including itself into the China Middle East future by wiring the region with digital infrastructure and trade territories. By doing so, it seeks to have a crucial presence without ever stepping onto the battlefield.
Inside Telecom provides you with an extensive list of content covering all aspects of the tech industry. Keep an eye on our Tech sections to stay informed and up-to-date with our daily articles.