Is China Building New Conflict Zones in the Middle East?

PUGAT News Analysis / Mehmet Emin Karagöz

CNN published a report based on official American sources. The report claims that Saudi Arabia has begun producing ballistic missiles jointly with China. Allegedly, American intelligence services have satellite images of the production facilities in Saudi Arabia. However, the claims in the report have not yet been officially confirmed by the relevant authorities.

Under the name “One Belt One Road”, China is running joint commercial projects with 65 countries around the world (including Türkiye). China’s aim in these projects and the framework of the secret and open projects it carries out with member countries are constantly debated.

The One Belt One Road (OBOR) Project and China–Saudi Arabia Relations?

It is a project China officially announced in 2013. In its most general name it is also known as the Silk Road Project. Through this project China aims to increase its economic integration with the world and is increasing its competitiveness in the world economy by creating new trade routes. The ultimate goal is to be able to deliver its commercial products from China to Britain without interruption, in a shorter time and at roughly one fifth of today’s cost. In this context, Saudi Arabia is also part of the “Maritime Silk Road” leg of the Silk Road Project.

Although diplomatic relations between China and Saudi Arabia officially began only in 1990, the fact that military relations have reached the level of joint ballistic missile production in such a short time shows the importance China attaches to this country. Moreover, it is particularly striking that China is pursuing the joint ballistic missile production project at the risk of confronting the US in the region.

Developments Likely in the Coming Years

It is assessed that in the coming period China will increase these activities within the One Belt One Road (OBOR) project under the guise of arms sales and other names. Although China claims that it is carrying out commercial partnerships and ventures in the participating (member) countries of the OBOR project, the results show that the aims of this project are different. For example, when Tajikistan was unable to finance the investments and project costs within OBOR projects in the country, it had to hand over the management of some of its mines (gold and coal) to China.

Considering the security concerns of Saudi Arabia and neighbouring countries (for example, the Yemen–Saudi Arabia clashes), we can say that China will exploit this sensitivity of the countries in the region and will not shy away from tensions with Europe and the US over it.

We can also predict that, in addition to all the troubles of the Middle East, the region will become the scene of new tensions and even conflicts (proxy wars) within the scope of this project.