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China

July 27, 2025

Beijing 1:01 pm

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BEIJING, CHINA - MAY 30: Chinese President Xi Jinping and United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan review the honour guard during a welcome ceremony at The Great Hall of People on May 30, 2024 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Tingshu Wang - Pool/Getty Images)

UAE’s AD Ports Group opens first China office: What to know

UAE-China trade relations are on the rise amid persistent US scrutiny over sensitive technology.

United Arab Emirates

This handout photo made available by the Iranian Army Office on March 12, 2025, shows navy personnel saluting aboard a Chinese military ship during a joint Iranian-Russian-Chinese drill in the Gulf of Oman.

Iran, Russia launch naval drills ahead of trilateral nuclear talks with China

Naval forces from Iran and Russia begin joint military drills in the Caspian Sea, reflecting deepening ties between the two countries that come just weeks after Iran’s 12-day war with Israel and the collapse of nuclear talks with the United States.

A picture taken on December 7, 2022 in Riyadh, shows the Chinese and the Saudi flags adorning a street ahead of the Chinese president's visit to the Saudi capital. - Chinese President Xi Jinping will make a three-day visit to Saudi Arabia this week, meeting the king and de facto ruler of the world's biggest oil exporter. (Photo by Fayez Nureldine / AFP) (Photo by FAYEZ NURELDINE/AFP via Getty Images)

Saudi Arabia's Diriyah awards Chinese firm $1.53B contract: What to know

Saudi Arabia’s Diriyah Company has awarded a major contract to China Harbour Engineering Company for the development of a Vision 2030 project.

Latest News

Iran's Araghchi doubles down on China, Russia ties at Shanghai meeting

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi talks on his mobile phone ahead the family photo during the 51st session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Istanbul, on June 21, 2025.

Iran’s Araghchi to meet China, Russia FMs at Shanghai Cooperation meeting

Wang Yi held talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi in Beijing, on April 23, 2025.

Egypt banks on Beijing as premier visit seals yuan, payment deals

Egypt's Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly (R) meets with China's Premier Li Qiang at his office in Cairo on July 10, 2025.

Jack Dutton

Chief Business Correspondent

In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech

Benjamin Houghton

In Durham, reporting on China in the Middle East

Yun Sun

In Washington, DC, reporting on China-Middle East ties

Dale Aluf

In Amsterdam, reporting on China in the Middle East

Emil Avdaliani

Andrea Ghiselli

In Shanghai, reporting on China in the Middle East

ALEX HALADA/AFP via Getty Images

Iran, Russia, China envoys present joint front to Grossi on nuclear talks

As the US-Iran nuclear negotiations progress, Iran, Russia and China presented a united front in a meeting with the international nuclear watchdog chief in Vienna.

Iranian and Chinese delegations, led by Abbas Araghchi and Wang Yi, respectively, meet in Beijing, on April 23. 2025.

China slams sanctions, voices support for Iran’s nuclear program during FM visit

Iran's foreign minister held high-level talks with Chinese officials on Wednesday on the latest developments in Iran’s ongoing nuclear negotiations with the US.

COONC

UAE’s ADNOC inks deal with China’s largest offshore producer as US tariffs bite

A third LNG deal has been struck between a Chinese entity and the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company as Beijing scrambles for alternative sources to replace the US supply.

United Arab Emirates

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi speaks to AFP during an interview at the Iranian consulate in Jeddah on March 7, 2025. Iran will not resume negotiations with the United States on its nuclear programme while President Donald Trump applies his "maximum pressure" policy, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told AFP during the interview. (Photo by Amer HILABI / AFP) (Photo by AMER HILABI/AFP via Getty Images)

Araghchi to visit China ahead of US-Iran technical talks: What to know

Araghchi’s visit to China follows weeks of trilateral coordination between Iran, Russia and China on the nuclear issue, including a joint condemnation of unilateral sanctions.

Chengdu J-10 Vigorous Dragon fighter aircraft of China's Ba Yi (August 1st) Aerobatics Team release smoke while performing manoeuvres during the first Egypt International Airshow at Alamein International Airport in Alamein in northern Egypt on September 4, 2024. (Photo by Khaled DESOUKI / AFP) (Photo by KHALED DESOUKI/AFP via Getty Images)

China, Egypt to hold first air force drill as military ties grow: What to know

The exercise scheduled for mid-April comes as Egypt-China ties are growing both militarily and economically despite US pressure on Cairo.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi review the honour guard during a welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on May 29, 2024. Several Arab leaders are this week visiting Beijing, which is seeking to present a "common voice" on the conflict between Israel and Hamas and improve cooperation. (Photo by TINGSHU WANG / POOL / AFP) (Photo by TINGSHU WANG/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Analysis

From Rafales to railways: Egypt walks tightrope between China, West

While Chinese investments reshape Egypt’s economy, structural trade imbalances and conflicting regional interests highlight the limits of this “golden decade” of cooperation

Dale Aluf

In Amsterdam, reporting on China in the Middle East

Cheng Xin/Getty Images

China's oil imports highest since 2023 amid Iran crude spike: What to know

Data from analytics firm Kpler from April 11 showed that Iran’s exports were up 20% from February and at a five-month high.

GREG BAKER/AFP via Getty Images

China courts Gulf, BRICS allies as trade war with US escalates

Since US President Donald Trump announced reciprocal tariffs on more than 180 countries on April 2, Beijing has stepped up engagement with Riyadh.

AFP via Getty Images

Iran oil exports to China soar in March to 1.9M bpd despite US sanctions

The United States and Iran will hold negotiations on the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program on Saturday as Tehran hopes to achieve sanctions relief.

A mockup of Iran-made Mohajer-10 drone is on exhibition during a rally that marks the 46th anniversary of Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution in Tehran, Iran, on February 10, 2025. (Photo by Hossein Beris / Middle East Images / Middle East Images via AFP) (Photo by HOSSEIN BERIS/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images)

US sanctions UAE, China firms in crackdown on Iranian drone supplies

The Justice Department also announced criminal charges against two Iranian nationals and an Iranian company over their alleged roles in the drone-procurement network.