Analysis Beyond Boeing and Airbus: China’s C919 courts Gulf as aviation power dynamics shift Despite strong interest in Chinese jets, skepticism remains about China’s ability to match Western standards of technology and reliability. By Sabena Siddiqui In Karachi, reporting on South Asia, Middle East, Iran
Analysis Iran's rebuke of Russia, China exposes cracks in its 'look to East' strategy Pezeshkian comments revived a long-running debate over the fragility of Iran's geopolitical alignments and the asymmetry built into its relations with Moscow and Beijing. By A correspondent in Tehran In Tehran, reporting on politics
Syria FM visits China as Beijing presses Damascus on Uyghur fighters, TIP Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani pledged that his country would not allow foreign fighters to “exploit its territory to carry out activities” that would harm Chinese security. Syria
Egypt's foreign reserves exceed $50B mark for first time: What to know The stronger reserve position signals that Egypt has largely emerged from its worst economic crunch in decades. Egypt
Analysis Saudi Arabia diversifies with new China naval drills, but military remains Western-centric By Francesco Schiavi In Bologna, reporting on security, defense, economy, governance
Back to roots: India, the Arabian Gulf and the reemergence of West Asia Building personal connections with Gulf leaders has proven instrumental for Modi in fostering stronger ties between India and the region. Legacy: Gulf
How critical is UAE-India trade corridor in countering China & Red Sea tensions? The agreement comes amid continuing Houthi attacks in the sea route that are disrupting global trade, and further indicates strengthening UAE-India relations. Legacy: Gulf
Can India use new Iran port deal to counter growing China-Pakistan ties? The long-term deal to develop Chabahar Port signed between India and Iran in mid-January is a critical component of New Delhi's strategy to bypass Pakistan for access to Central Asian markets and counterbalance the growing cooperation between China and Pakistan. Iran
Saudi inks $3.2B missile defense deal with South Korea as Iran attends expo The World Defense Show has yielded deals between Saudi Arabia and South Korea and may lead to the strengthening of the kingdom’s ties with Iran, the United States and others. Legacy: Gulf
Across Baluchistan, who are the groups targeted by Iran, Pakistan? The cross-border strikes have raised questions about the separatist groups operating in the border area between Iran and Pakistan. Iran
How Red Sea tension is hurting China's auto industry in EU, US The Houthis initially claimed to be only targeting ships linked to Israel, but Chinese shipping is also in peril despite its friendliness to the Houthis' supporter Iran. Legacy: Gulf
Analysis Could China’s COSCO halting ships to Israel spark crisis in Sino-Israeli relations? Experts see the move as part of Beijing's effort to echo what it sees as the voice of the global south regarding the war in Gaza. By Jack Dutton In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech
With confidence at all-time high, can China emerge as Mideast peace broker? China is riding a wave of support since its Iran-Saudi agreement, but experts say the Palestinian-Israeli brokerage is a different matter. Israel
2023 in review: China pulls a Middle East coup, but can it sustain expectations? From Saudi Arabia to Egypt, China saw its diplomatic and technology clout significantly grow in the region but still faces limitations in delivering on defense and security arrangements. Legacy: Gulf
What does Saudi Arabia's CICA membership mean for its Asia pivot? The kingdom’s achievement of observer status in the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia follows similar moves with the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and BRICS. Legacy: Gulf
Houthi attacks: Hundreds of ships to reroute from Red Sea, 44% cost spike for China The Red Sea is one of the world’s most important shipping routes for oil, fuel and consumer goods, and shipments between Asia and Europe typically go through the sea and the Suez Canal. Yemen
