China's Middle East Clout Has Limits

Employees work on a drilling platform in Iraq for a Chinese gas and oil company. Photo: Khalil Dawood/Xinhua/Getty Images For most of the past decade, China's story in the Middle East has been straightforward: endlessly rising investment, trade and influence. Having brokered a return to diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran earlier this year and given its strong economic relationship with Israel, China has also found itself in the spotlight as the conflict in Gaza has boiled over. But is the Middle East destined to keep becoming—economically, at least—less middle and more east?