Trend Tracker: China’s Role in Security Hotspots Adapts to Geopolitics, GSI

Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud (L) greets his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Johannesburg last week. Image: Chinese Foreign Ministry.

China recently appointed Colonel-Major Chen Xuming as its first-ever defense attaché to Niger. In the wake of the expulsion of French and U.S. forces from large parts of the Sahel, this could signal an interest in heightening the security aspect of China’s regional engagement.

This comes as shifts in U.S. policy in the Middle East lead to greater alignment between China and Arab states. While China pursues ties with Israel, it has joined the Arab world in opposing the Trump administration’s expulsion plans for Gaza. This alignment was strengthened through a flurry of meetings between Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Middle East counterparts on the sidelines of the G20 Foreign Ministers’ meetings in South Africa.

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by CGSP Staff

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