Adam Savit, the director of the China Initiative at America First Policy Institute (AFPI), has warned that China is taking advantage of the Israel-Hamas war to expand its influence in the Middle East and displace the United States as a global power. In an op-ed in the Washington Times, Savit stated that China's primary geopolitical goal is to diminish U.S. global influence and replace it as the new international power. He emphasized that China views its relationship with the United States as a "zero-sum game."
However, Savit said China is not close to being able to compete with the United States in the Middle East, militarily and economically. The only way the United States can respond to threats from China is to bring back America First policies, which Savit said are gone under the Biden administration. In the last two years, Savit said the Biden administration foreign policies have "emboldened China's threats against Taiwan." In addition, Savit criticized the administration for its "appeasement of Hamas and its patrons in Iran" which allowed for funding of the attacks on Oct. 7. The withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021, which had negative consequences, contributed to this perception of vulnerability perhaps emboldening other global actors, such as Russia's invasion of Ukraine and China's threatening look towards Taiwan.
On the Israel-Hamas war, Savit said, "China has presented itself as neutral but has effectively taken Hamas’ side" by not condemning the murder of Israeli civilians. China has also advocated for a two-state solution, blaming the conflict on the failure to establish a Palestinian state. China's strategy in the Middle East is to act as a new mediator on the issue, bypassing the U.S. in negotiations between Saudi Arabia and Iran and offering its own solution that will lead to peace. Additionally, the Middle East is a crucial part of China's Belt and Road Initiative, involving significant investments in transportation infrastructure and resource extraction across the Global South. China is also bolstering the BRICS nations as a rival economic bloc to the G7 and positioning the BRICS New Development Bank as a competitor to the World Bank, with Middle Eastern nations set to join in 2024.
Savit also highlighted the importance of the Middle East in China's Belt and Road Initiative, which involves significant investments in transportation infrastructure and resource extraction across the Global South. He mentioned that China is bolstering the BRICS nations as a rival economic bloc to the G7 and positioning the BRICS New Development Bank as a competitor to the World Bank, with Middle Eastern nations set to join in 2024.
Savit said, that while China's global strategy is adapting, it currently lacks a "blue water navy" capable of projecting power to the Middle East and faces economic challenges that limit its ability to invest resources, comparable to the U.S., in securing sea lanes and energy resources. If the United States continues on its path of the last two years, emboldening foreign players, China will become more of a threat than it is now, Savit said.
