As the United States reduces its footprint in the Middle East, China is stepping up its diplomatic and economic engagement in the region. Beijing has already struck notable deals with longstanding U.S. partners such as Saudi Arabia while maintaining strong ties to Iran. How will regional countries navigate intensifying U.S.-China competition? What role will China play on economic, diplomatic, and security issues in the Middle East? And how might the United States respond to Beijing’s growing influence in the region?

During a live recording of the China in the World podcast, Paul Haenle spoke with Amr Hamzawy, director of the Carnegie Middle East Program, He Wenping, professor at the Institute of West-Asian and African Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, and Bilahari Kausikan, chairman of the Middle East Institute at the National University of Singapore. This panel is the fifth of the Carnegie Global Dialogue Series 2021-2022 and is available to be viewed on the Carnegie Endowment's website. https://carnegieendowment.org/2022/05/11/china-s-growing-role-in-middle-east-event-7874