Could China be the key to peace in Syria?
Earlier this month, China brokered a deal to restore diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran for the first time since 2016. An immediate beneficiary of the Chinese-led initiative is Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, whose diplomatic clout in the region has been further strengthened, the Middle East Eye writes.
Could China be the key to peace in Syria?
Geurasia

Could China be the key to peace in Syria?

Damascus (Photo: iStock)
Eurasia 31/03/2023 07:20

Earlier this month, China brokered a deal to restore diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran for the first time since 2016. An immediate beneficiary of the Chinese-led initiative is Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, whose diplomatic clout in the region has been further strengthened, the Middle East Eye writes.

Within days of the deal with Iran, the Saudis announced a restoration of diplomatic ties with the Syrian government, and Assad took another trip to the UAE, following his visit to Oman a month earlier. Indeed, Assad has slowly but surely re-emerged on the diplomatic scene, despite US pressure on the region to isolate Damascus, according to the article.
Bashar al-Assad visiting the UAE (Photo: AFP/UAE presidential court/Abdulla al-Neyadi)

In light of the Iran-Saudi deal, Syria will be a key contested region - and Chinese economic diplomacy could work to Riyadh’s advantage, according to the author. "At the heart of the Saudi-Iran deal is economic stability, with both the Chinese and the Saudis proposing investments in Iran. Syria is the key arena where Iran and Saudi Arabia have clashed over the past decade, and despite mutual mistrust, the Saudis have historically been able to iron out their problems with Damascus," he adds.

"Today, with the US distracted by Ukraine and having no coherent Syria strategy, Saudi Arabia is welcoming Chinese efforts to help end the regional conflict," the author concludes.

We use cookies on our website. If you consent to their use, we use them to measure and analyze the use of the website.
Information and Settings

Accept