China ups diplomatic efforts in the Gulf
Xi said that the Gulf should not become an arena for great-power rivalry, even as Beijing steps up its Iran war diplomacy.
As the United States entered the final stretch before Election Day, Chinese President Xi Jinping extended a gesture of diplomacy by hosting Oman's Sultan Haitham bin Tariq in Beijing. In his remarks, Xi cautioned against the Gulf region becoming a battleground for great power competition, despite China's own vulnerability to rising energy and shipping costs.
Oman's Sultan was the first high-ranking state visitor from his country to Beijing since the two nations established diplomatic relations back in 1978. The visit culminated in a joint declaration from Xi and Haitham urging the resumption of safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz and a return to the June truce between Washington and Tehran.
In the coming month, China's Middle East representative will travel to Iran, Oman, and Saudi Arabia as Beijing seeks to bolster its oil reserves. With the aim of meeting its 10-year plan, the Chinese energy regulator has urged oil and gas companies to "do everything possible" to increase supply. While China's record output and stockpiles have shielded it from recent market shocks, accessing deeper, more costly reserves poses a challenge.
Written by urgent.news from Semafor's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
