Middle East 2025: Diplomacy, trade, exchanges shared with China

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi just wrapped up his Middle East tour earlier this month, the very last overseas visit he made as 2025 draws to a close. Wang pledged to consolidate cooperation with the region in traditional areas, like oil and gas, while urging deeper collaboration in innovation-driven emerging sectors.

"China will continue to be a trustworthy and reliable friend and partner in their modernization efforts," Wang told reporters after his trip on December 16.

As the world's second largest economy looks to diversify its economic ties with the region, China also made its commitments to "unremitting efforts" for a lasting ceasefire in Gaza, and an early, comprehensive, and just solution to the Palestinian question.

China's diplomacy in the Middle East

Looking back over the year, China's diplomatic interactions with Middle Eastern countries can be summarized as two words: frequent and fruitful.

China has maintained close high-level communication with regional countries such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Iran, Türkiye, Qatar, and Jordan, engaging in in-depth exchanges on the development of bilateral relations, Middle East hotspot issues, and reforms of global governance.

The frequent meetings and phone calls not only continued the political mutual trust built in recent years, but also clarified the direction for the next stage of cooperation.

Mechanisms under the China–Arab States Cooperation Forum have remained active, forming a more mature and pragmatic dialogue network across political, security, development, and people-to-people fields.

On various occasions, China has repeatedly emphasized its respect for countries' independent choices of development paths. Regarding the resolution of the Palestinian issue, China stood firm on the two-state solution, believing that is "the only viable path," with "Palestinians governing Palestine" serving as an important foundation.

Ahead of the second China-Arab States Summit, set to be held next year, experts believe the platform will mark another significant milestone in the history of China's ties to the region.

"Many agreements already existed (between China and Arab countries), and the summit provides us a place to turn them into projects," International Law Professor of the American University in the Emirates Amer Al-Fakhoury told CGTN, highlighting areas including trade, investment, infrastructure, and connectivity.

China's trade ties with Middle East

Although the total trade volume between China and the Middle East for 2025 has yet to be released, trade volumes between China and the Arab League already reached its highest level on record in the first seven months of 2025, with a sum of $240 billion.

Within the Gulf countries, China has also surpassed the West and become the bloc's largest trading partner, according to a report conducted by British think tank Asia House published in November.

While infrastructure, oil, and gas remain important powerhouses, Chinese investors have expanded ventures – from the Gulf to North Africa – into high-tech sectors including electric vehicles, artificial intelligence, aerospace, among others.

Autonomous driving projects by Chinese companies such as Baidu and WeRide have been implemented in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. Up in the space, and a multipurpose satellite jointly developed by Chinese and Arab engineers has been successfully launched.

Chinese technology is becoming deeply embedded in the Middle East's vision for the future.

"There is a qualitative leap into high-tech and future-oriented industries in the cooperation between China and Middle East countries," Abu Bakr al-Deeb, an economic researcher and advisor to the Cairo-based Arab Center for Research and Studies, told Xinhua.

China's friendly exchanges with the Middle East

China rolled out a trial visa-free policy in June for ordinary passport holders from Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait and Bahrain for stays of up to 30 days. 

Tariq Abdullah Buqnah, a businessman from Saudi Arabia, believes the new policy means more than just saving a lot of time.

"This step is not merely a simplification of travel procedures – it is, in my view, a true reflection of the growing strength in relations between Saudi Arabia and China," the Shanghai-based businessman told Xinhua.

This policy is on top of the mutual visa-exemption policy already implemented for the UAE and Qatar in 2018.

"China now grants visa-free treatment to all GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) countries," said Mao Ning, a spokesperson for Chinese Foreign Ministry.

"We welcome more friends from GCC countries to visit China anytime."

To further facilitate people-to-people exchanges, China and Middle Eastern countries have expanded direct air connectivity.

In late November a new direct flight linking Beijing and Muscat, the capital of Oman, was officially launched.

Oman's Minister of Heritage and Tourism Salim bin Mohammed Al Mahrouqi told Xinhua that China is a key outbound tourism market, noting that the new air route will make travel more convenient and appealing.

Supervisor: Mu Li

Producers: Li Chao, Li Zhao

Reporters: Li Chao, Li Zhao

Intern editors: Wang Yiran, Ni Bing