China’s Xi Jinping is moving closer to his ambition to turn his country into a power that can match or surpass the United States as the global military, economic and diplomatic leader.
The latest move was seen when Chinese brokered through agreement between Saudi Arabia and Iran long rivals for Middle Eastern dominance to re-establish diplomatic relations as reopen their embassies after a seven year rupture.
It wasn’t by coincidence that the agreement announced in the Saudi captains Riyadh coincided with a unanimous vote-2,952-0 in Beijing by the National People’s Congress to give Xi another five years in power.
However the rapprochement prompted swift applause and thanks to China from the United Nations as Stephane Dujarric the spokesperson said. “ good neighbourly relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia are essential for the stability of the gulf region.”
It’s a region where the United States has been the dormant power brokers for decades but with the White House scoffed suggestions that the Saudi -Iran agreement was a sign of warning American Influence.
In September 2020 ,Washington’s power to influence competing powers in the Middle East was highlighted by US brokered agreements by Israel,the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain to establish formal relations.
However analysts say the Chinese brokered agreement are likely to dim American hopes to broker a peace deal between Israeli and Saudi Arabia for forge a united front against Iran whose apparent progress towards building a nuclear bomb is a matter of great concern not only for the US and the region but also the international Atomic Energy Agency.
Will there be Middle East stability in our time? Don’t bet on it .Will China the world’s most populous country eventually overtake the United States? Time will tell.
