Wu Sike

Editor's Note:

Chinese President Xi Jinping embarks on his first Middle East trip as president Tuesday. The recent years have seen China play a positive and constructive role in the region. What's the significance of Xi's trip? What should China do to help stabilize the region? Global Times (GT) reporter Li Aixin and Wang Wenwen talked to Wu Sike (Wu), China's special envoy on Middle East affairs, on these issues.

GT: How would you analyze President Xi's current visit to the Middle East?

Wu: That Xi chose the region as his first official destination this year shows the importance of the region to China. Now that the region is struggling with conflicts and rivalries, and one advantage of China is that it can talk to every party. It does not strike against one by wooing another or launching a proxy war. It tries to play a positive and constructive role in pushing forward peace and development in the region.

Regional countries view China as an economic powerhouse as well as an opportunity to develop their own economies. After China proposed the "One Belt, One Road" initiative, it saw the Middle East as its natural partner. This coincides with the region's recent trend of "looking East." The trip will be one part of China's all-round diplomacy and is set to raise China's cooperation with the region to a new height.

GT: Some US scholars believe China is the solution in the Middle East and call for more Chinese political investment in the region. How should China respond to such requests?

Wu: China has always cared about Middle East affairs and made efforts to solve disputes there such as the tensions between Israel and Palestine. The efforts should continue. Earlier this month, China issued a document titled "China's Arab Policy Paper" that explains the country's approach to the region. It outlines China's plans for more cooperation with Arab countries, which shows the region's importance to China. China has its interests there, but it won't sacrifice regional countries' interests to serve its own. Seeking common benefits is the core of China's diplomacy.

GT: Will the breakdown of relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran evolve into a regional "cold war?"

Wu: The "blame game" between Saudi Arabia and Iran will have great influence on the region, but will not necessarily become a cold war.

The region has long been mired in conflicts, and at different times there will be different balance of power. Once the balance is broken, the region will suffer from some kind of chaos and then reach another balance.

Before the US military intervention in Iraq in 2003, Iraq and Iran were the two major rivals in the region. There was a balance of power at that time.

But after the US toppled the regime of Saddam Hussein, Iran became a prominent power. As Iraq's Shiites seized power, together with Iran's Shiite majority, the strength of Shiites in the region rose. Arab historical and religious sentiments towards Persians also became more prominent, which caused Gulf states such as Saudi Arabia to feel insecure. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia has been dissatisfied with its US ally over the former's relentless efforts to strike a nuclear deal with Iran. In late 2013, it rejected a two-year seat on the UN Security Council, which apparently showed discontent with the US for its failed mission to topple the Assad regime in Syria. The breakdown with Iran shows Saudi Arabia's anxiety over the latest thaw in US-Iran relations.

Given Saudi Arabia's power in the Arab world, some countries chose to follow suit. But there are others like Algeria that called for restraint and soft approaches to solve the dispute. There won't be a cold war, but the process of reconciliation may be a long-term one.

GT: The US seems quite vocal about its close ally Saudi Arabia this time. Does it indicate a policy shift of the US toward the Middle East?

Wu: The US has been adjusting its Middle East policy since President Barack Obama took power. In the past, the two "I"s - Iran and Iraq - were targets. But Iran was not forced to succumb and the US realized that it should relax its relations with it. That's how the nuclear deal was realized recently.

Arab countries see Washington as an influential power to counter the threat from Tehran. Washington's policy shift has dealt a heavy blow to these countries. But this is a fixed fact. The US will exert more energy in the Asia Pacific and it hopes its allies in the Middle East can maintain peace in the region.

GT: Saudi Arabia has been anxious about US policy shifts. Some observers say Saudi Arabia has lost hope on its US ally. Do you agree with such views?

Wu: Obviously, Saudi Arabia is dissatisfied with the US Middle East policy. Besides, after the Arab Spring which started five years ago, the US abandoned past allies such as former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak without hesitation, which made Saudi Arabia feel bitterly disappointed. There have been growing mistrust and worries.

But putting aside dissatisfaction and complaints. The US remains the most powerful factor in the region. Saudi Arabia relies on the US not only on security matters, but also on economic ones given the influence of big US oil companies.