Sun Tzu – an eminent author – has elucidated in his book, The Art of War, that “The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting”. Currently, the Eastern nations are rising, with the help of China – an economic colossus of the world. China has taken various multilateral steps to strengthen its position and counter the influence of the US. They have increased their involvement in international organizations, such as the United Nations and World Trade Organization, and formed alliances with other countries through initiatives like the Belt and Road Initiative.
Additionally, China has been actively promoting its own economic and political models as alternatives to the US-led system. It’s a complex and evolving situation with many factors at play. In addition, China’s policies in the Middle East are focused on maintaining stability and promoting economic cooperation. They prioritize non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries and advocate for peaceful resolutions to conflicts. China has also been actively involved in infrastructure development projects in the region, such as the construction of ports and railways.
Overall, China aims to enhance its economic and diplomatic ties with Middle Eastern countries while avoiding taking sides in regional conflicts. China has slowly but steadily expanded its security footprint even though it insists on coming across as a development partner in the crisis-ridden region. In mid-January, Beijing unleashed its soft power when it announced the construction of thousands of schools, health care centers, and homes destroyed in Iraq’s successive conflicts. According to Iraqi officials, Iraq needs a total of 8,000 schools to “fill the gap in the education sector.” China has decided to construct the bulk of those – 7,000 schools – to help educate millions of children.
It will also build nearly 90,000 houses in Sadr City, the bastion of Iraq’s strongest political leader and cleric, Muqtada al-Sadr; improve Baghdad’s sewerage; build an airport in Nasiriyah, Iraq; and construct 1,000 health care clinics all over the country – all to pay for Iraqi oil. China has significantly increased its economic, political, and – to a lesser extent – security footprint in the Middle East in the past decade, becoming the biggest trade partner and external investor for many countries in the region.
China has become an increasingly significant player in the Middle East in the past decade. While it is still a relative newcomer to the region and is extremely cautious in its approach to local political and security challenges, the country has been forced to increase its engagement with the Middle East due to its growing economic presence there.
At a moment when the United States’ long-standing dominance over the region shows signs of decline, European policymakers are increasingly debating the future of the Middle Eastern security architecture – and China’s potential role within that structure.
Saudi-Iranian rapprochement and BRICS are the major testimonies of the gigantic steps of China to eradicate dollar hegemony and promote developing nations. Kishore Mehbubani – an author of Has China Won? – said “China has no such economic necessity. Its economy can grow well, even without American investments”.
In these steps of China, the US has faced a number of several issues that eradicates its hegemony in the nations. Indeed, these steps are the red signal for the economic power of the US. In the realm of Pakistan, Pakistan maintains a strategic relationship with both the US and China. It values its ties with both countries and seeks to benefit from their cooperation in various areas.
Pakistan has historically received significant economic and military assistance from the US, while also fostering strong economic and diplomatic relations with China. It is important for Pakistan to balance its relationships with both countries while pursuing its own national interests. In the last, some diplomats, like Fareed Zikria, has argued that the world needed to learn from the US government but now the US must learn from the multipolar world.