Transcript [00:00] Hey everyone. So, since the beginning of [00:02] this whole Iran saga, whichever uh point [00:06] you want to start at, you can start at [00:09] the 12-day war last year, or you can [00:11] start in January with the protests, or [00:14] you can start in February 28th when [00:15] America launches epic uh epic fury. [00:20] Wherever you want to start it, in this [00:22] whole narrative that we've been [00:23] following with all of the different uh [00:25] side characters in the story, China has [00:29] kind of been hanging around in the [00:30] background. We haven't talked about them [00:32] all that much. I have talked about them [00:34] in a number of videos on this channel uh [00:36] in relation to Pakistan. I've talked [00:38] about how how closely intertwined [00:42] Pakistan and China are, how closely [00:44] coordinate coordinated they are. their [00:46] own foreign minister said uh at you know [00:49] during that whole period where Pakistan [00:51] was the main intermediary the negotiator [00:54] bringing a you know and they're still [00:56] playing the role of negotiator I I I [01:00] mentioned that the Pakistani foreign [01:02] minister openly said that everything [01:04] that he's doing in this is closely [01:06] coordinated with Wang Yi the foreign [01:09] minister of China of the Chinese [01:10] Communist Party [01:12] now in this video I want to go I want to [01:15] go deeper into China's involvements in [01:17] the Middle East which has which have [01:19] ramped up significantly in the last few [01:22] days really just the last few weeks very [01:24] very recently China has ramped up their [01:27] involvement in various Middle Eastern [01:28] countries or at least been more public [01:30] about it and what's more they kind of [01:34] returned to the main stage of the whole [01:36] US Iran war because of the new economic [01:41] uh initiative of uh Secretary of [01:43] Treasury Scott Bessant what he's leading [01:45] with this whole with this whole new [01:47] sanctions [01:49] and this whole new sanctions regime that [01:51] the Americans are imposing on anyone who [01:53] does any business with China. So, let's [01:55] go through these headlines and we're [01:56] going to paint a whole picture of [01:58] China's recent moves and recent [02:00] involvement in the Middle East and we'll [02:02] see and we'll see how we uh what [02:05] conclusions we can draw from it. Okay, [02:06] so let's take a look. Let's read the [02:08] news. Here we go. This is from the BBC [02:11] and it's from uh today. China hits out [02:14] at illegal new US sanctions on Iran and [02:17] trading partners. China has vowed to [02:20] protect its interests after the US [02:22] announced plans to widen economic [02:24] sanctions against Iran and its trading [02:25] partners, which include Beijing. Foreign [02:28] Ministry spokesman Lyn Jan said China [02:31] was firmly opposed to what it called [02:34] illegal unilateral sanctions and would [02:36] take all necessary measures to safeguard [02:40] its rights. Lynn said cooperation [02:42] between China and Iran has always been [02:44] conducted within the framework of [02:46] international law and should not be [02:48] interfered with or dispute or disrupted. [02:51] However, responding to a question and [02:53] that was talking about Scott Bessant [02:56] uh who said that you know uh talked [02:58] about this new sanctions regime that any [03:01] that any countries that do business with [03:02] Iran would be sanctioned. Responding to [03:04] a question about Chinese banks, Besson [03:07] said he wanted to make clear no one was [03:09] above the reach of US sanctions. In [03:11] other words, China's, you know, China is [03:14] no exception. The announcement comes [03:17] ahead of a plan of planned talks between [03:21] Trump and Chinese President Xiinping [03:23] next month. Interesting. We're going to [03:26] have another summit meeting between [03:27] them. We had one not long ago. We had [03:29] one just after the ceasefire went into [03:31] effect. What was it in uh in May? [03:34] Washington is likely to be wary of [03:36] potential retaliation from Beijing, [03:39] which processes the majority of the [03:41] world's rare earths and other critical [03:44] minerals crucial in the manufacturer of [03:47] many high-tech products. [03:49] China's response, the response we led [03:51] this story with, followed Iranian [03:54] economy minister Ali Madanizad, saying [03:57] Thran was fully prepared for the wider [04:00] sanctions, which he said would lead to [04:01] another defeat for the US. The [04:03] government is and was ready and has a [04:05] two-year plan to manage these events. He [04:07] told state television and then he says, [04:09] "Yeah, we know how to play this game." [04:13] Um, [04:15] yeah. Oh, here we go. With the [04:16] announcement of new sanctions, the US [04:18] Treasury Secretary claimed America was [04:20] no longer managing the Iranian threat. [04:22] We are ending it. Okay, so I talked [04:24] about that yesterday that the the [04:26] rhetoric has changed and the Americans [04:28] are now openly talking about bringing [04:31] down the regime. Iran is already under [04:33] heavy heavy sanctions from the US, but [04:35] Besson said these go further. He said [04:37] Treasury had mapped financial channels, [04:39] facilitators, and networks used by Iran [04:41] to evade sanctions to trade oil, [04:44] imposing sanctions on almost 60 [04:46] entities, individuals, and vessels. But [04:48] analysts had cast doubt on the latest [04:50] measures even before China's response. [04:54] Quote, "We suspect that the new package [04:56] will only will have only a limited [04:59] direct impact on Iranian energy flows in [05:01] the short term." And this is from this [05:03] expert, David Oxley, at Capital [05:05] Economics. This is partly due to the [05:07] fact that roughly 90% of Iran's oil goes [05:10] to China, [05:12] he said, which has not recognized US [05:15] sanctions in the past and is unlikely to [05:17] be cowed this time either. We we raised [05:19] this question when this when this whole [05:21] sanctions thing was announced few days [05:23] ago that a big question that we're going [05:26] to be watching is will China [05:29] participate? The answer was obviously [05:31] going to be no, but also what would the [05:33] would there be exemp you know would [05:35] there be exceptions to the American [05:37] retaliation against countries that [05:39] cooperate with Iran because if what [05:42] Bessant said is correct and there's no [05:44] exceptions and China is saying openly [05:46] we're not going to honor this and they [05:48] buy 90% of Iran's oil and they're doing [05:50] all this trade with Iran. We know about [05:53] the overland trade routes through [05:54] Pakistan that China is sending goods [05:57] over through and Pakistan is gonna is [06:00] going to is part of China. They're [06:02] joined at the hip. So it's a big [06:03] question about how enforceable this [06:05] whole thing really is. Ali VZ, deputy [06:07] director of the Middle East and North [06:08] Africa program at the International [06:10] Crisis Group said quote generally the [06:13] Chinese are against unilateral [06:14] sanctions. they would comply with [06:16] multilateral or international sanctions, [06:18] but unilateral sanctions just imposed by [06:20] the US. They have always seen that as [06:23] illegitimate. And although Iran's [06:25] neighbors like Pakistan, Turkey, and [06:27] Iraq want to maintain good relationships [06:29] with the US, they can't really afford to [06:31] cut off ties with Iran. [06:36] Uh there you go. So that's that's that [06:39] is that situation. [06:42] So let's uh let's take a look at this [06:44] next story. So that's about the about [06:46] the s about the current sanctions that [06:48] the US is putting on and and China has [06:51] thrown down the gauntlet and said we are [06:53] not participating in this and they're [06:54] the by far the biggest trading partner [06:56] with with Iran. So there's that and now [06:59] we have to see how the how the Americans [07:00] respond. Does Secretary Besson does [07:03] President Trump make good on this? Does [07:05] America now take serious action [07:08] economically against China? Is that what [07:11] this is turning into? [07:14] Well, but take a look at this headline. [07:17] This is uh seemingly unrelated story, [07:20] but it in the context of where I'm going [07:22] in this video. I'm going to share with [07:23] you a number of different ways that [07:25] China is getting more involved in the [07:26] Middle East. So, here we had this [07:28] meeting. This kind of flew under [07:29] people's radar. It was uh yesterday. [07:31] This is a story from yesterday. China [07:34] Jordan called for upholding US Iran [07:36] truce restoring Herm's passage. See, [07:39] Jordan's King Abdullah was in China [07:43] yesterday. China and Jordan have said [07:45] the ceasefire between the US and Iran [07:47] should be maintained and that normal [07:48] passage through the straight of Hormuz [07:50] should be restored. In a joint statement [07:52] reported by China's Gininoa news agency, [07:55] China and Jordan said a comprehensive [07:57] solution capable of eliminating the root [07:59] causes of regional tensions. What are [08:02] the root causes of regional tensions? [08:04] How do you eliminate them? You know, [08:06] whenever they say we want to solve the [08:09] root causes of the tensions in the [08:11] Middle East, you know, as far as I can [08:12] tell, the root causes of the tensions in [08:14] the Middle East is that you have [08:16] jihadists who are committed to jihad [08:20] and Islam taking over the world and [08:24] destroying the state of Israel. These [08:25] are the root causes. There'd be peace in [08:27] the Middle East tomorrow if they stopped [08:29] trying to destroy Israel and stopped [08:32] funding terrorism. But that's not what [08:34] they mean in this in a statement like [08:36] this. When China and Jordan say that [08:38] they want to eliminate the root causes, [08:41] they're talking about Israel. [08:45] So they want a comprehensive solution [08:47] capable of eliminating root causes of [08:49] regional tensions and that should be [08:50] reached through dialogue and [08:51] negotiations. The two also expressed [08:53] deep concern over Israel's dangerous [08:56] escalatory actions in the occupied West [08:58] Bank and East Jerusalem. dangerous [09:00] actions like building homes for Jews in [09:02] the land of Israel. Chinese President [09:04] Xiinping met with Jordan King Abdullah. [09:07] Uh Abdullah II bin al- Hussein in [09:11] Beijing on Monday. Chinese Premier Lee [09:13] Quang also met King Abdullah in Beijing [09:18] to discuss avenues for strengthening [09:19] bilateral relations in key economic [09:21] sectors. The Jordanian royal court [09:23] announced on X. During the meeting, the [09:25] Jordanian king highlighted China's role [09:27] as a vital economic partner, affirming [09:30] that Jordan has much to offer in [09:31] bilateral cooperation and that [09:33] substantial opportunities exist to [09:35] expand mutual trade and investment. [09:38] China serves as Jordan's largest trading [09:40] partner with bilateral trade volume [09:43] reaching around 6.7 billion. Turning to [09:46] regional developments, Wang emphasized, [09:48] this is uh talking about Wang Yi who is [09:50] their their foreign minister. He [09:53] emphasized that the Palestinian issue [09:54] remains central to Middle East stability [09:57] and must not be marginalized. He called [09:59] for continued dialogue towards securing [10:01] a lasting ceasefire in Gaza. While [10:04] Safadi stressed, I would like a lasting [10:06] ceasefire in Gaza. That's only going to [10:08] happen when Kamas stops u you know is [10:11] gone. While Safadi stressed the [10:13] necessity of a two-state solution. Safi [10:15] is this um um he came with King [10:19] Abdullah. was the uh he was the he's the [10:22] Jordanian foreign minister. He stressed [10:25] the necessity of a two-state solution [10:27] and welcome China's support for peace [10:29] efforts. Okay. And then we have this [10:31] China's Xi says Palestinian issue is the [10:34] heart of the Middle East affairs. So [10:35] this is coming now from Xi not just from [10:38] uh his foreign minister that it's a core [10:40] issue for the Middle East. Xi called for [10:41] a political solution, the resumption of [10:43] peace talks between the Palestinians and [10:45] Israel, and for the swift realization of [10:47] Palestine's establishment as an [10:49] independent state. Okay. So, so this is [10:54] so this is so we have item number one is [10:57] that uh is that the Chinese have no [10:59] interest in cooperating with Trump's u [11:03] with Trump's sanctions. Item number two [11:05] is this meeting between Xiinping and [11:08] Abdullah and it mentions in there buried [11:10] in this piece is that China is Jordan's [11:13] largest trading partner which is which [11:15] is interesting because Jordan is also [11:17] very much in the American orbit. America [11:18] has a major air force base and a second [11:20] training base in Jordan and really [11:24] provides for Jordan's security. Jordan [11:26] has a peace treaty with Israel. Okay. [11:30] And meanwhile, China's Xihinping is is [11:33] talking about a Palestinian state. [11:38] World's second most powerful military [11:40] draws Africa's strongest closer as it [11:42] stages drills with Thailand and Barus. [11:44] So what's this story? Business. This is [11:45] from Business Insider Africa edition. [11:48] And this is about China [11:52] doing joint drills together with Egypt [11:56] in August 26. In August 2026, the [11:59] Chinese People's Liberation Army Air [12:01] Force conducted simultaneous drills with [12:04] Egypt, Thailand, and Bellarus, [12:06] showcasing its ability to deploy forces [12:08] overseas while strengthening [12:10] partnerships with strategically [12:11] important countries. The drills coincide [12:14] with a wider shift in North Africa's [12:16] security landscape as the region's major [12:19] militaries strengthen defense ties with [12:21] global powers with Egypt deepening [12:23] cooperation with China, Morocco with the [12:26] United States, and Algeria with Russia. [12:28] I made a video about Morocco a little [12:30] while ago, was it last month, where I [12:33] talked about Morocco being a very strong [12:34] ally of the US. The China Egypt Eagles [12:38] of Civilization 2026 air exercise brings [12:42] together two expanding defense partners [12:44] with drills covering air combat tactics, [12:47] air superiority operations, combat [12:49] search and rescue missions. Now think [12:51] about this. This is Egypt. Egypt is uh a [12:55] major recipient I think second to Israel [12:57] in terms of annual annual aid. Although [13:00] Israel's Israel's aid is going to be [13:01] drawn down, and Israel's aid is uh is [13:04] only military aid, but Egypt is is I [13:07] think the number two recipient of aid [13:09] from the United States every year. Um [13:13] they and and here there it says that [13:15] they're getting closer to China. We also [13:17] know that the Chinese already control [13:19] much of the um of the of the Suez Canal. [13:24] The ports in the Suez Canal are [13:25] basically owned and operated by the [13:27] Chinese Communist Party at this point. [13:31] U the exercise highlights Beijing's [13:34] growing military engagement with Egypt, [13:36] home to one of Africa's most powerful [13:37] armed forces and a major regional player [13:39] with an air force equipped with [13:41] American, French, and Russian aircraft. [13:43] The strategic loca it strategic location [13:46] control of the Suez Canal in influence [13:48] across the Middle East and Africa have [13:50] made it a key partner for competing [13:51] global powers [13:54] seeking influence in the region. The [13:55] exercise follows the first Eagles of [13:58] Civilization training held in 2025. I [14:00] made a video about it on the Israel 365 [14:03] news channel at the time um about that [14:06] exercise between Egypt, the Air Force, [14:08] the joint exercise between Egypt and [14:10] China in 2025 when China deployed a full [14:14] [snorts] air force package to Egypt [14:16] including J10C fighter jets uh KJ500 [14:19] airborne early warning aircraft uh [14:22] refueling aircraft. I want to jump down [14:25] here. This is this is the key passage in [14:28] this piece. Look at this. China's [14:30] growing defense relationship with Egypt [14:32] is unfolding as North Africa's major [14:34] military powers deepen ties with [14:36] different global players. Morocco has [14:38] strengthened its defense partnership [14:40] with the United States, becoming [14:42] becoming one of Washington's closest [14:44] closest security partners in Africa. [14:47] though exercises such as African Lion [14:49] and major acquisition I'm sorry through [14:51] exercises such as African Lion that's a [14:54] joint exercise between the US and [14:55] Morocco and major acquisitions Rabbat [14:59] has expanded its military capabilities [15:01] with systems including the F-16 block 72 [15:03] fighter jets Apache helicopters and [15:06] highar rocket systems meanwhile Algeria [15:09] Morocco's regional rival has maintained [15:11] deep military ties with Russia which has [15:13] historically been its main defense [15:15] supplier [15:17] It talks about what Algeria has from the [15:19] Russians. Egypt, despite maintaining [15:20] defense ties with Washington and Moscow, [15:23] appears to be moving closer to Beijing [15:26] as it explores Chinese military [15:29] technology, including the J10C fighter [15:31] jet and other advanced aviation and [15:33] unmanned systems. So, you see that Egypt [15:35] is is moving more and more into the [15:39] Chinese military orbit. It's not just [15:41] about trade anymore. [15:44] And then we have this. And this one is, [15:46] you know, you might be thinking, what [15:47] the UAE? We love the UAE. China UAE to [15:51] hold Falcon Sheet Shield 2026 joint air [15:54] force training. So, not only are the [15:56] Chinese having a joint air [15:59] drills, air force drills with Egypt, [16:01] they're also having one with the UAE. [16:04] And this is a story from uh from four [16:06] days ago. This is this is a recent [16:08] story. The air forces of China and the [16:10] United Arab Emirates will hold the [16:12] Falcon Shield 2026 joint training in [16:15] Hotan, Northwest China's Xing Jang [16:17] Weaguer Autonomous Region, the Chinese [16:20] Ministry of National Defense said on [16:21] Friday. [16:23] Okay, so they're having a they're going [16:24] to be having a joint drill. And now we [16:27] have this. This is Now, full disclosure, [16:30] this website I'm about to read from [16:33] called Islam Times.com [16:36] is not officially affiliated with the [16:38] Iranian regime, but it's a pro-Iran [16:41] pro-resistance access uh website. Okay? [16:45] So, take it with that grain of salt. But [16:47] nevertheless, there's some important [16:49] analysis in this piece. Okay? Okay. And [16:50] and the title of the piece is and let me [16:53] just uh let me just tell you when this [16:55] is from. [16:57] This is uh from uh today. [17:01] This story I think it's from today. I [17:04] can't find the date on it. I believe [17:06] it's from today. Some Oh, yeah. It is. [17:08] No, it's from yesterday. Monday, August [17:10] 24th. Here we go. China in America's [17:12] backyard. This is more than just a [17:14] military exercise. So, let's read it and [17:17] remember what we're reading. Okay? We're [17:19] reading um pro-Iranian [17:23] media, but the anal that doesn't mean [17:25] the analysis is all wrong. There's some [17:27] Let's read what they have to say. Amid [17:29] Washington's efforts to reshape global [17:32] security equations and as public [17:34] attention remains focused on the [17:36] consequences of Westernled wars from [17:38] Ukraine to the Persian Gulf as well as [17:40] the ongoing occupation and crimes of [17:42] Isra of the Israeli regime, China is [17:45] gradually redefining its security role [17:47] alongside its economic influence in the [17:50] international system. Signs of the shift [17:53] can be seen in Beijing's expanding [17:54] military ties with countries that have [17:57] traditionally been considered part of [17:58] the US camp. So, they're laying it out [18:00] there and again, it's biased media, but [18:03] they're saying what the strategy is that [18:07] um the United States is, you know, is [18:10] it's got it's got all these wars going [18:12] on. Ukraine, Israel, you know, they call [18:15] that a United States war, Iran, you [18:18] know, the Persian Gulf. And China is [18:20] redefining its security role alongside [18:24] its economic influence because China for [18:26] a long time kind of stayed out of the [18:27] military stuff and its main global reach [18:30] was economic. But now what they're [18:32] saying is that China is also getting [18:34] more involved in a in a security role [18:37] and signs of the shift can be seen in [18:40] these things. So China and Egypt began [18:42] the joint exercise Civilization Eagles [18:44] 2026 on Saturday couple days ago at [18:47] several Egyptian air bases. At the same [18:49] time, China's defense ministry announced [18:50] a joint air force exercise with the UAE. [18:53] The exercise will run from late August [18:54] to mid-september. Given Egypt and the [18:56] UAE's strategic ties with the United [18:58] States, these developments are more than [19:01] routine military events. They could [19:03] signal growing doubts among Washington's [19:06] allies about the effectiveness of the [19:08] US-led security model. Now, that could [19:11] be the whole point of these exercises, [19:13] is a way of poking the Americans and [19:15] signaling that American hedgemony is [19:17] waning. That might be even why they do [19:19] it. Europe's emphasis on strengthening [19:22] its own security capabilities, regional [19:24] efforts to build independent alliances, [19:27] and the expansion of military ties with [19:29] eastern powers all point to the same [19:31] gradual shift. In other words, they're [19:34] saying that Europe's uh move to start [19:37] spending more on their own defense, [19:39] strengthening their own security [19:40] capabilities, not just relying on the [19:42] Americans, and then regional efforts to [19:45] build independent alliances. What does [19:46] that mean? When you see, let's say, the [19:48] Turkey, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia alliance, [19:50] when you see these things, they're [19:52] saying that this is all a signal [19:55] that they're shifting away from reliance [19:58] on the United States of America. Arab [20:00] countries that have moved closer to [20:02] China and Russia politically and [20:04] economically in recent years are now [20:07] showing signs that this shift is [20:09] extending to the military sphere. very [20:12] interesting sentence because a lot of [20:14] Arab countries have been very much in [20:16] bed with the Chinese economically but [20:18] they haven't shifted there militarily so [20:20] much like uh you know take for example [20:22] the UAE um or or Egypt I mean these are [20:26] the examples they give but this also [20:27] applies to you know look think of an [20:30] example like Qatar right Qatar has [20:33] extensive ties with China but militarily [20:35] they're purely in the American orbit [20:38] militarily [20:40] Um, how about that Jordan meeting? I [20:43] mean, we just saw them talking about a [20:44] Palestinian state. That's not Abdullah [20:46] did not fly out to China to talk about a [20:48] Palestinian state. Okay. What else was [20:51] going on in that meeting between [20:53] Abdullah and Xiinping? China's military [20:56] exercises with Egypt and the UAE can [20:58] therefore be viewed as part of a broader [21:00] trend in which regional countries are [21:02] seeking to diversify their strategic [21:04] partners rather than relying entirely on [21:07] the US security umbrella. joint military [21:10] exercises with Iran, Pakistan, Russia, [21:12] and now Egypt in the UAE together with [21:15] Beijing's stated readiness to help ease [21:17] tensions around the straight of Hormuz. [21:19] What does that mean? How are they going [21:21] to ease tensions? What it means in this [21:24] context is is pro is uh is breaking the [21:29] blockade, providing goods to Iran, [21:31] shipping things in there so that they're [21:33] easing the tension for the Iranians. [21:36] uh it indicates that security is no [21:38] longer merely a regional concern for [21:40] China. It is gradually becoming an [21:42] integral part of the country's global [21:44] role. So that's what this this piece is [21:47] messaging that China's changing its [21:50] posture globally that it's no longer [21:53] just going to be playing this economic [21:54] leadership role that it's now also going [21:57] to begin playing a security leadership [22:00] role. These developments should be [22:01] viewed within the broader context of [22:03] changes in the international system. The [22:06] prolonged wars led by the United States, [22:08] its insistence on unilateralism, [22:11] and the high costs of dependence on a [22:13] single security provider [22:16] have prompted many countries to [22:17] reconsider their strategic calculations. [22:20] China's exercises with Egypt in the UAE [22:22] in this context are not merely military [22:25] drills. They could be signs of a gradual [22:27] shift in the balance of power. A shift [22:29] that begins with declining confidence in [22:31] the US security model and moves towards [22:34] a more multilateral independent order [22:37] shaped by the new realities of global [22:39] power. So that's where they're pushing [22:42] towards. That's where the Chinese are [22:43] pushing towards. And that leads us to [22:45] the final story we're going to look at, [22:47] which is I mentioned it just a few [22:48] minutes ago, the Saudi Turkey Pakistan [22:51] pact, right? the Mecca agreement that [22:53] was signed a couple weeks ago or a week [22:56] what is it a week and a half ago however [22:58] long ago it was signed and there was a [23:00] piece there and this is from August 13th [23:02] from when it was signed and look what it [23:03] says three ways China benefits from the [23:06] Saudi Turkey Pakistan pact what to know [23:09] and let's see what what they what they [23:10] say in here has not officially endorsed [23:13] the pact but its state-run Gino news [23:15] agency highlighted the agreement as a [23:17] response to rising regional security [23:19] concerns more broadly the act fits [23:22] Beijing's long-running argument that [23:24] Middle Eastern states should play a [23:25] leading role in shaping regional [23:27] security rather than relying on an [23:29] external power. In other words, get [23:30] America out of the out of there. China [23:33] has promoted what it calls common, [23:35] comprehensive, cooperative, and [23:36] sustainable security while arguing for a [23:39] regional security architecture less [23:41] dominated by outside actors, less [23:43] dominated by the US. [23:46] The these there are three ways that [23:48] Beijing could benefit from the [23:49] agreement. Number one, diversification [23:51] away from the United States. That's what [23:53] we've been talking about. Jan Sunun, [23:55] senior fellow and director of the China [23:57] program at the Stimson Center, told Al [23:59] Monitor, "So far the pact has been [24:01] viewed positively by China because it [24:04] represents a diversification of security [24:06] arrangement in the Middle East, which [24:08] diminishes the central role of the US as [24:11] the security provider. This does not [24:13] mean Beijing is looking to replace [24:14] Washington as the region's security [24:16] guarantor. They they're not interested [24:17] in that at all. China doesn't want to [24:19] guarantee anybody's security. Even the [24:22] official agreements they have where they [24:23] claim to guarantee people security, they [24:25] don't honor. We saw that with Iran. They [24:28] never came to Iran's defense, even [24:30] though they have a a strategic uh a [24:33] 25-year strategic pact with them that [24:35] calls for them to to help them. It [24:38] doesn't say exactly how they're how they [24:39] would help them, but they didn't lift a [24:40] finger. China lacks both the regional [24:43] military presence. I mean, they didn't [24:44] lift a finger militarily security-wise. [24:47] China lacks both the regional military [24:48] presence and so far the appetite to take [24:51] on that role exactly as I just said. But [24:53] a more diversified security landscape [24:56] could give Beijing more room to deepen [24:58] relationships that are already expanding [25:00] across the region. For China, the [25:02] opportunity is political is as political [25:05] as it is military. A region in which the [25:07] Gulf states diversify their defense [25:10] partnerships can be more receptive to [25:12] Chinese diplomacy, arm sales, [25:14] technology, and investment without [25:17] requiring Beijing to provide the kind of [25:19] alliance guarantee that Washington has [25:20] long supplied. This is the punchline. [25:24] Let me say it again. Here's what they're [25:26] saying in this in this line. It's a good [25:28] piece of analysis. [25:31] when China this you know China making [25:35] more moves to say that we're also you [25:37] know we're engaging in these joint [25:39] drills and we're encouraging these [25:42] alliances in this case in this [25:44] particular article it's talking about [25:45] the Turkey Saudi Arabia Pakistan [25:47] alliance that's good for China [snorts] [25:49] because if there's security arrangements [25:51] the more security arrangements there are [25:53] between countries that have nothing to [25:56] do with the United States the less [25:58] everyone is tethered to American policy [26:02] So by China going in there with, you [26:04] know, and and engaging with US partners, [26:08] US security partners, traditional ones [26:10] like Egypt and the UAE and Jordan, [26:13] engaging with them and and moving that [26:15] engagement beyond economics, but into [26:18] security without saying that we're going [26:20] to protect you or replace America, but [26:22] also having them sign agreements between [26:25] each other that don't involve America. [26:27] This all serves Chinese interest because [26:30] it it makes it easier for those nations [26:34] to do things independent of America like [26:37] buy weapons from China and investment [26:40] and technology and diplomacy etc. That's [26:42] what it means here. So this is this is [26:44] what China wants. [26:46] Number two, the Pakistan card. And I [26:49] told you about how closely linked [26:50] Pakistan and China are. So here we go. [26:53] Pakistan is one of Beijing's closest [26:55] defense partners and a major recipient [26:57] of Chinese arms. The two countries have [26:59] developed extensive cooperation ranging [27:02] from fighter aircraft and submarines to [27:04] joint drone production. For example, [27:06] Pakistan's JF7 fighter aircraft which [27:09] serves as the backbone of its air force [27:11] was jointly developed by the Pakistan [27:13] Aeronautical Complex and China's Shangdu [27:16] aircraft industry group. In other words, [27:17] Pakistan's [27:19] ma main fighter aircraft that is a joint [27:23] project of Pakistan and China, [27:27] right? Like Israel has joint projects [27:29] with the US uh military uh industry. [27:32] Pakistan has joint projects with the [27:34] Chinese. Pakistan is also the only [27:36] nuclear power in the pact given China's [27:38] overwhelming influence over Pakistan. [27:40] This indirectly contributes to the [27:42] increase of Chinese influence because [27:44] now one of their proxy nations Pakistan [27:47] which is also nuclear is in this pact. [27:50] During a May meeting with Pakistani [27:51] Prime Minister Shabbaz Sharif, Chinese [27:54] President Xiinping hailed China's [27:56] relationship with Pakistan as [27:58] unbreakable. [27:59] Saudi Arabia has expanded military and [28:02] economic cooperation with China in [28:03] recent years. In March, reports [28:06] indicated that Riyad and Beijing had [28:08] reached a $5 billion agreement to [28:10] establish a production line for Chinese [28:12] Wing Lung 3 combat drones in Jedha. Do [28:15] you get this? In March, March was the [28:18] height of Epic Fury. While America is [28:21] fighting Iran and has bases in Saudi [28:23] Arabia, Saudi Arabia is getting shelled [28:25] by Iran and they're ostensibly on the [28:26] American side of this whole thing. [28:28] Meanwhile, [28:30] Riyad and Beijing are reaching a five [28:32] billion dollar agreement for a [28:35] production line for combat drones to be [28:37] manufactured in Saudi Arabia. Neither [28:40] government has publicly confirmed the [28:42] arrangement, but such a deal would mean [28:43] a shift from Saudi Arabia simply [28:45] purchasing Chinese equipment toward [28:48] producing Chinese equipment locally, [28:51] deepening Beijing's footprint in the [28:52] kingdom's defense industry. And the [28:54] third gain of of uh what China gains [28:58] from the Mecca agreement, more defense [29:00] sales for China. Very simple. The Iran [29:03] war has highlighted the centrality of [29:05] drones, missiles, and air defense for [29:07] Gulf security. China's well positioned [29:09] to compete in that market. It can offer [29:11] relatively affordable armed drones, air [29:13] defense systems, and increasingly local [29:16] production and technology partnerships. [29:18] The Mecca pack could make such [29:19] possibilities more attractive. Greater [29:22] defense coordination among Saudi Arabia, [29:24] Pakistan, and Turkey may create demand [29:26] for interoperable systems, shared [29:29] training, and industrial cooperation. [29:31] Pakistan's long-standing use of Chinese [29:33] equipment gives Beijing an inside track [29:36] in one member state, while Saudi [29:38] Arabia's reported drone production plans [29:41] could give it a larger industrial [29:43] foothold in another. So that is so [29:48] altogether here what do we see? We see [29:50] that China is getting more and more [29:52] involved in the Middle East in a [29:54] security way, in a military production [29:56] way, and the diversification of of [30:01] partnerships that is it serves it serves [30:04] Chinese interests. [30:06] And uh this is something we have to [30:08] really, you know, keep an eye out for. [30:10] And uh and it all comes back to where we [30:13] are right now with this Iran war. China [30:16] is be is defiantly standing up and [30:18] saying we're not part of this. we're not [30:20] taking part in this and but they're [30:21] also, you know, deepening their [30:23] relationships with these Arab states, [30:25] these Muslim states. So, this has to be [30:27] watched very carefully. We know what a [30:29] threat China is and China's, you know, [30:32] uh their their strategic goal is to take [30:34] down the United States and they [30:36] certainly uh are, you know, they're [30:39] they're also no friend of Israel. So, [30:41] this is all something to be concerned [30:42] about and to watch closely and uh maybe [30:46] we'll come back to this topic as uh as [30:48] we see more headlines on it. So, keep [30:49] watching. Thanks for watching. Please [30:51] make sure that you're subscribed to this [30:52] channel. Uh, please drop a comment. Let [30:54] me know what you thought of this one. I [30:56] know it ran a little long. Uh, but this [30:58] was an important topic. We had to get to [30:59] everything. All right. God bless.
