China-Middle East

State of the Order: Assessing February 2021

The State of the Order breaks down the month's most important events impacting the democratic world order.

US, Israel, and GCC perspectives on China-MENA relations

By Jonathan Fulton, Eyal Propper, and Ahmed Fahmy

The Abraham Accords signed between the UAE and Bahrain and Israel consolidates the US-led regional alliance. However, they also underscore prospects for closer China-Gulf-Israel cooperation in the economic, trade, and technological spheres.

Josep Borrell outlines the EU’s priorities in a multipolar world

By Larry Luxner

“Today we’re in a multipolar world and [the EU will] have to look outwards because the problem is no longer among us; it’s among us and the rest of the world," Josep Borrell told the Atlantic Council. The problems ahead: the pandemic, Russia, China, and more.

China is happy about the Abraham Accords and the GCC crisis coming to an end

By Jonathan Fulton

Middle Eastern dispute resolution benefits lots of countries with interests in the region and several can be expected to capitalize. However, given China’s increasingly deep MENA footprint, it will capitalize more.

Weaponized: How rumors about COVID-19’s origins led to a narrative arms race

By Luiza Bandeira, Nika Aleksejeva, Tessa Knight, Jean le Roux, Graham Brookie, Iain Robertson, Andy Carvin, Zarine Kharazian

A joint research project from the Digital Forensic Research Lab and the Associate Press on information environments during the first six months of COVID-19.

China is still brimming with Iranian oil

By Brendon Hong

As long as China’s petroyuan provides a means to avoid US sanctions, Iran will keep loading tankers with crude and sending them eastward.

Kroenig appears on CNN International to discuss President Biden’s foreign policy speech

By Atlantic Council

On February 4, Matthew Kroenig appeared on CNN International where he discussed President Biden’s speech on foreign policy that he delivered at the State Department. Topics for discussion included 1) whether allies would be less likely to rely on the United States moving forward; 2) the president’s announcement that the United States will not support offensive […]

The big takeaways from Biden’s first foreign-policy speech

By Atlantic Council

President Joe Biden campaigned on a promise of renewed American engagement with the world after the era of “America First”—and the president’s remarks were designed to show that this shift is already underway.