Reassessing China's role in the Middle East
A complex region, persistent assumptions and the limits of Beijing's ambitions
In this episode of The Sound of Economics, Yuyun Zhan and Alicia García-Herrero sit down with Jonathan Fulton to interrogate some persistent assumptions about China's role in the Middle East. From the China–Iran partnership to the Saudi–Iran rapprochement, they explore whether the conventional wisdom misreads a deeply complex region – overstating Chinese ambition, understating local agency and flattening a relationship that is transactional, rather than strategic.
Relevant research:
- Fulton, J. (2025) ‘Present without impact? How the Middle East perceives China’s diplomatic engagement’, Issue Brief, Atlantic Council
- García-Herrero, A. (2026) 'What the war in Iran means for China', Analysis 06/2026, Bruegel
This episode is part of the ZhōngHuá Mundus series of The Sound of Economics.
ZhōngHuá Mundus is a newsletter by Bruegel, bringing you monthly analysis of China in the world, as seen from Europe.
Related content
What the war in Iran means for China
China is relatively inured to the Iran conflict, but less external demand could hit its exports and its international partnerships may be undermined
The battle for the AI stack
Europe’s options for AI in the midst of US-China strategic competition
Europe's China shock 2.0
A record surplus, a fractured response and the limits of Brussels' ambitions
Exploring Chinese trade deflection
How much of what China can no longer sell to the United States ends up on Europe's doorstep?