Middle East Interests Shift From the West to Asia

As western influence wanes, Gulf countries look for a new guarantor

By: Muhammad Zulfikar Rakhmat

Arabs look east

With Xi Jinping’s mid-December visit to Saudi Arabia, most of the analysis has focused on the Chinese side, especially on Beijing’s campaign to strengthen its foothold in the Middle East. However, little attention has been paid to how the recent visit also exemplifies the Middle East’s growing interest in Asia.