Emil Avdaliani

Opinion | How the UAE is leveraging ties with China for its own security needs

China’s diplomatic outreach to the United Arab Emirates has unprecedented geopolitical implications even beyond the Middle East

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UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan reviews the honour guard during a welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on May 30. Photo: EPA-EFE

Emil Avdaliani

Published: 8:30pm, 18 Jun 2024

Bilateral relations between China and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are changing in scope, with recent developments reflecting a shifting balance of power, in which the United States is no longer seen by Arab Gulf countries as a long-term security shield.

Earlier this month, China released a joint statement with the UAE, expressing support for a peaceful resolution of a dispute regarding three islands – Abu Musa, Greater Tunb and Lessen Tunb – that have been under Iranian control since 1971, days before the UAE was founded as an independent country.

Iran reacted by summoning the Chinese ambassador to Tehran. This is not the first time China has expressed support for negotiations to resolve the dispute. In response to a similar statement released in 2022, Tehran also called in Beijing’s ambassador. Ebrahim Raisi expressed “dissatisfaction and complaints” over the 2022 statement. Chinese President Xi Jinping then invited Raisi to Beijing, perhaps to smooth things over.

For China, the UAE might be coming ahead of its relations with Iran. China-Iran relations have seen major progress in the recent years, with Beijing pledging investments and trade growth. Yet, the relationship is uneven, with Iran partly relying on China for increased oil sales and support in the international arena.

Meanwhile, China’s support for a peaceful resolution over the disputed islands fits into its plan for increasing engagement with the Gulf region. A pragmatic China seeks closer ties to maintain a balancing between competing Middle East powers.

China reaffirming its stance on the three islands came in the wake of UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed al Nahyan’s visit to Beijing just days earlier. Relations between the two countries have developed into a strategic partnership.