In 2013, I warned that a Pax Sinica in the Middle East might replace America's predominant role. As the largest importer of Persian Gulf oil, China wants stability in the region. To that end, China's first venture into Middle East diplomacy came in December 2022, when it issued a joint statement with the Sunni Gulf States chastising Iran's disruptive role in the region. But when Beijing brokered the restoration of diplomatic relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia in March 2023, China proved it had arrived as a major power in the region.
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