China, U.S. Tangle for Mideast Influence

This century has witnessed China's emergence as the main challenger to the superpower status of the United States. In dramatic fashion, China is beginning to establish its foothold in the highly strategic, energy-rich region of the Middle East by forging strong ties with regional powers and gradually challenging US-Israel regional dominance. Thanks to decades of double-digit economic growth and accelerating military modernization, China now has both the need for and the capability of engaging the Middle East.

Confined to the sidelines during the Cold War, the Chinese leadership finally found a window of opportunity to enter the region's politics and expand its military exports