Chinese President Xi Jinping’s three-nation tour in the Middle East heralds a shift from U.S. regime change to economic development, codifying China’s presence in the Middle East as a major energy buyer, major importer, infrastructure builder, and peace broker.

While the entire international community can certainly cooperate better on security issues, criticizing Beijing’s low-profile role is merely propaganda defaming China in the region. China’s economic contribution to the region is both significant and more than sufficient within the current global and regional context defined by US dominance.

It is in the interests of China and the United States, as well as the region and the world beyond, to have peace, stability and development in the Gulf and the Middle East. Washington’s recent summit with Gulf states reflects both the challenges and its enduring commitment to security concerns there.

Wu Sike writes that stability in Egypt will hinge on finding a proper solution to the many issues plaguing the region, and that China-U.S. cooperation can help to bring about peace and stability in the Middle East.

A top U.S. specialist in Middle Eastern affairs has called on China to work with the United States in maintaining stability in the volatile region and helping

As China seeks to deepen ties with Israel it also needs to balance inherent contradictions of the relationship. While the defence industry was once the cornerstone of Sino-Israeli relations, Washington’s objections have limited relations. Still, commercial and trade links are set to expand between Israel and China, raising interesting policy implications for China, Israel, and the US.

But to stabilize the security situation, the Iraqis themselves must show political sense. The security force must not be at the service of any particular sect or group; it must repair its reputation and rededicate itself to serving the Iraqi nation, writes Wu Sike.

China was deeply involved in Iraq’s post-war construction and petroleum exploration, but it has been a sheer outsider in the post-war political rearrangement, while Washington has been the dominating force, writes He Wenping.

Tim Robbins’ recent rendition of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” in Beijing attempted to relate to present-day waves of violence throughout the world by emphasizing a need for ‘the power of love’, but given the turmoil in Eastern Europe, Thailand, the Middle East, and in China’s maritime vicinity, the concept of ‘order’ might be a more necessary emphasis.

The recent elections in the Middle East are extraordinarily important in that they signal a changing balance of power in the Middle East, argues He Wenping. Wenping also argues that this changing power balance will have a significant effect on the rest of the world, particularly the United States.