Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi returned home on Sunday after wrapping up a five-day, six-nation tour of the Persian Gulf and Turkey. Wang’s visit highlighted the growing importance that Beijing now assigns to its diplomatic ties in the broader MENA arena and its aspirations to play a larger role in regional diplomacy. 

One of the key themes of the tour, albeit largely unspoken, was China’s efforts to build a new coalition against the United States and Europe. This was most visible in Iran, not surprisingly, but was also an undercurrent in Saudi Arabia and Turkey. Both countries face increasingly strained ties with the West.