China’s Xi says Middle East should not become battleground for great-power rivalry
Sign up now: Get insights on Asia's fast-moving developments
Omani Sultan Haitham bin Tariq al-Said and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing after a signing ceremony on Nov 2.
PHOTO: REUTERS
- Xi said the Middle East should not become a battleground for great-power rivalry, and China will work with Arab states for lasting peace and stability.
- China is stepping up diplomacy as the US-Israeli war on Iran raises Strait of Hormuz risks and global energy and shipping costs; special envoys will soon visit the region.
- Oman’s Sultan Haitham backed China’s role, urged peaceful dispute settlement, and said Oman is open to a trade and investment deal with China.
AI generated
BEIJING/DUBAI – The Middle East and Gulf region should not become a battleground for great-power rivalry, and China is willing to work with Arab nations to achieve lasting peace, Chinese President Xi Jinping told Oman’s sultan on Nov 2.
China has traditionally played a low-key diplomatic role in the Middle East, but has stepped up efforts to try to help end tensions amid the US-Israeli war on Iran, which has snarled the Strait of Hormuz and driven up global energy and shipping costs.
Xi told Omani Sultan Haitham bin Tariq al-Said that the world is undergoing “profound changes unseen in a century”. According to China’s Foreign Ministry, he said: “The Middle East Gulf region should not become an arena for great-power rivalry and geopolitical conflict. Peace and stability in the region require joint nurturing and protection by all parties.”
China has consistently been committed to stopping the war, and hopes to contribute “wisdom and solutions to resolving the region’s security dilemmas”, Xi said. China is willing to strengthen communication and coordination with Arab countries, including the Gulf Cooperation Council states, to work together towards restoring peace and achieving lasting stability and security, he added.
In a 20-point joint statement, both sides agree normal and safe navigation should resume in the Strait of Hormuz. They also called for the US and Iran to pursue peaceful options, and return to the agreement struck in June aimed at ending the conflict and restart dialogue.
China’s Foreign Ministry said later on Nov 2 that Zhai Jun, its special envoy to the Middle East, would visit Iran, Oman and Saudi Arabia in November.
Haitham arrived in Beijing on Nov 1 for a two-day visit, the first by an Omani head of state since the countries established ties in 1978. He told Xi his government had deep appreciation for China’s positions on key issues concerning the region, the Omani state media reported. “We believe that development and stability are inextricably linked,” he said.
“The prosperity of nations requires an environment defined by security, peace, respect for state sovereignty, and adherence to international law – an environment where disputes are resolved through peaceful means.”
He also said Oman was open to entering into a preferential bilateral trade and investment agreement with China. “We are confident that such an agreement would open new avenues for trade and investment, facilitate and enhance commercial and investment exchanges between our two nations.”
China is Oman’s largest trade partner, with tourism and business links boosted by direct flights between Beijing and Muscat since November 2025. Oman, which exports crude oil and energy products to China, has also been looking to further develop its renewable energy supply chains and digital commerce.
Their joint statement said they agreed to deepen practical cooperation in the oil and natural gas sector, and expand cooperation in new energy fields like solar photovoltaics, wind power, power transmission and transformation, and energy storage.
The Omani leader, who was welcomed on the tarmac in Beijing by People’s Bank of China governor Pan Gongsheng, also emphasised cooperation between investment and financial institutions. REUTERS