Source: Taiwan United Daily
Author: Tang Shaocheng
Recently, China and the five Central Asian countries held a summit in Xi'an. This is the first major home diplomatic activity in mainland China this year. It is also the first physical summit for China and Central Asian countries in 31 years.Overlapping is quite room for imagination.
In recent years, due to the intensification of competition in the United States and China, the relationship between China and Western countries is alienated, and the Russian and Ukraine War has made mainland Asia and Europe the best opportunity for China to expand its international influence.It provides a good choice for Beijing to enhance strength and fight against the West.
In April this year, through China's mediation, the hostile Saudi Arabia and Iran re -established diplomatic relations.Because Beijing has always been unwilling to ask other countries' affairs, the role of the peaceful messenger of the Middle East today marked China's major change.In addition, Qin Gang, China's new foreign minister, is also preparing to mediate peaceful negotiations between Israel and Palestine.
In fact, due to the reconciliation of Shay, many countries in the Middle East have been increasingly improved. For example, the Civil War of Yemen and Syria have been once again accepted by the Arab League, which has greatly improved China's image between the Middle East countries.But traditionally the United States is still the largest forces in the Middle East, but the influence has weakened.
Nevertheless, China still has no ability to replace the role of the United States in the Middle East.Washington has dozens of military bases in the Middle East and promises to defend allies.At present, China can benefit from expanding diplomatic and economic influence, and at the same time allows the United States to continue to lead the security issues in the region.
In fact, as early as Shay reached an agreement, China had established its position as an important partner of the Middle East.Because China is the largest trading partner of Shati and all Central Asia and the Middle East.From 2005 to 2022, China invested more than $ 273 billion in the Middle East, which was the largest investor in the region.
In December 2022, Xi Jinping visited Saudi Arabia and held the first summit of the Beijing and Arab National Alliance and the Gulf Cooperation Committee (Seahei) during the period.After that, Saudi Crown Prince Salman also returned to China. China -Saudi relations have entered a new era. Because the Saudi country is the leading country of Sunni Muslims, its influence in the Middle East is very impressive, resulting in China's status in the region increasingly stable.
The United States is just the opposite, especially because of the Ukrainian war's sanctions on Russia, which exacerbates the uneasiness of the capitals of various countries in the region.Because the United States has the ability to remove Russia from the international financial system (SWIFT) within five days, and in the past 20 years, the United States has not specially acts in responsiblely, such as the case of Iraq and Afghanistan, soforms a contrast.
It can be seen that from the current two summits of China, Central Asia and G7, we can know that the US -led sea power country and the land power countries dominated by China and Russia have launched a further game.However, the behavioral models of the two sides are very different. In short, the Western fist palm, the Chinese side is peaceful, or the western boxing can be described as Tai Chi, and its development deserves further observation.
(the author is the dean of the Taiwan Asia -Pacific Institute of Asia -Pacific)
