... the Middle East, as this could damage its core interests, which remain centered on trade and economic cooperation, provoking new tensions with the United States.
Yuliya Alekseeva:
China in the Mashriq: New Best Friend
As a key trading partner of the Gulf states, China has more than
doubled
its oil imports between 2010 and 2020. Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Oman, Kuwait and the UAE act as key oil suppliers to the Middle Kingdom. Chinese companies are expanding their footprint in infrastructure and technology projects of the region. Chinese banks are
providing
funds for major projects,...
... country, the political pressure on Qatar from a number of neighbouring Arab states and the never-ending tension between Iran and Saudi Arabia are just the most graphic illustrations of this dangerous situation [
1
]. In addition, many Gulf countries are becoming increasingly vulnerable to domestic social and political unrest due to increasing volatility in the global oil market and to in-house reform efforts with so far unclear results.
The GCC is in a state of paralysis and its future remains unclear with many implications of the Qatari crisis still present [
2
]....
... that local actors do not have agency, far from it. They have agency including on this Gulf issue, but where America puts its thumb down on the scales, has a major impact... ... are seeing from the UAE in the region would arguably look very different if the U.S.-Saudi Arabia-Iran triangle of engagement took a new turn.
Likewise and although its... ... I think it was a huge mistake to enact the blockade of Qatar and threaten a fellow GCC state in such a way, it also exacerbated problems in the sub-region. An unintended...
....”
REUTERS/Jim Bourg/Piхstream
Nikolay Soukhov:
One Thousand and One Nights: Barack Obama
on Missile Defence in the Persian Gulf
Оne of the agreements reached at the summit was to jointly develop a region-wide ballistic missile defense capability and ... ... to jointly develop a region-wide ballistic missile defense capability and a ballistic missile early warning system. Several GCC states have necessary defense components in place already, such as short-range Patriot systems in Saudi Arabia and THAAD systems in Qatar, but the new agreement provides for the installation of a comprehensive system that would ...
