Xi Jinping’s Gulf state diplomacy shortsighted HoonTing＠Taipei Times 20221221

Xi Jinping’s Gulf state diplomacy shortsighted    HoonTing＠Taipei Times 20221221

Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) earlier this month met members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in Saudi Arabia, where they issued a joint statement that intensified territorial disputes in the region.

“The leaders affirmed their support for all peaceful efforts, including the initiative and endeavors of the United Arab Emirates to reach a peaceful solution to the issue of the three islands: Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb and Abu Musa, through bilateral negotiations in accordance with the rules of international law, and to resolve this issue in accordance with international legitimacy,” it said.

This passage, in line with how Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi (王毅) overly celebrated Xi’s visit and the Chinese-Arab relationship, is a perfect demonstration of China’s support for Saudi Arabia.

Confronted with anti-hijab protests at home, the Iranian government seized on the statement as an opportunity to divert attention from the demonstrators, with Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs Hossein Amirabdollahian writing on Twitter that the three islands are “inseparable parts of Ian’s pure soil.”

Iran said the China-GCC statement interfered in its internal affairs, and the territorial issue is not negotiable.

An Iranian newspaper, seemingly in response to the GCC statement, said that Taiwan has a “legal right” to independence.

In response, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that “the GCC countries and Iran are all China’s friends, and neither China-GCC relations nor China-Iran relations are targeted at any third party.”

The attempt to cover up China’s tactical miscalculation is obvious.

China’s tactics are delimited by its long-term strategy. It has always emphasized alliances with land-power states, including Russia, Iran and North Korea. These allies would help China diversify its sources of oil and avoid the “Malacca dilemma.”

In March last year, China and Iran signed the Iran-China 25-year Cooperation Program, which had been in discussion for a long time. Under the deal, oil payments would be settled in yuan. China aimed to become Iran’s major partner in economics, security and politics.

Yet, after the Iran-China Cooperation Program was launched, Russia invaded Ukraine, and Beijing has changed its stance from being supportive of Moscow to claiming neutrality.

China has since become more conservative about the war, distancing itself from Russia and Iran. As Iran is providing Russia with drones, China has turned to support Saudi Arabia’s contentious claim on the three islands. Clearly, Xi has opted for an alliance with Saudi Arabia to get rid of Russia, with the aim of connecting China with North Africa.

While it is true that who pays the piper calls the tune, Beijing has failed to play it well. While Xi promised Iran that China would purchase its oil, he also made a commitment to GCC members for more energy trade. China offended Iran when it reached out to the GCC countries.

Meanwhile, when Xi proposed to settle oil and gas payments in yuan to weaken the US currency, Saudi Arabia rejected China’s plan, indicating that their relationship was not there yet.

China has always touted its principle of noninterference, but as it turned out, it has been playing its cards wrong in the international community.

“Parroting” other countries’ peaceful ways of solving territorial disputes, China agrees to deal with the issue through bilateral negotiation based on international law and the UN Charter, while it continues to expand its military power in the South China Sea, threatening its neighbors.

China might seem mighty, but its vision is quite shortsighted.

HoonTing is a political commentator.

Translated by Liu Yi-hung