Comment: Trump鈥檚 Middle East pivot aims to counter China鈥檚 influence Published on: 6 June 2025 Writing for The Conversation, Maria Papageorgiou discusses how Donald Trump鈥檚 attempt to strengthen ties with countries in the Middle East aims to contain China鈥檚 growing ambitions in the region. , The US president, Donald Trump, claimed he was able to secure deals totalling more than US$2 trillion (拢1.5 trillion) for the US of the Gulf states in May. Trump said 鈥渢here has never been anything like鈥� the amount of jobs and money these agreements will bring to the US. However, providing a lift for the US economy wasn鈥檛 the only thing on Trump鈥檚 mind. China鈥檚 influence in the wider Middle East region is growing fast 鈥� so much so that it was even able to mediate a detente between bitter regional rivals in 2023. Trump鈥檚 attempt to strengthen ties with countries in the Middle East is probably also a deliberate attempt to contain China鈥檚 growing regional ambitions. China has spent the past two decades building up its economic and political relations with the Middle East. In 2020, it replaced the EU as the to the Gulf Cooperation Council, which includes Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Bilateral trade between them was valued at (拢119 billion). The Middle East has also become an important partner to China鈥檚 sprawling Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Massive infrastructure projects in the region, such as high-speed railway lines in Saudi Arabia, have provided lucrative opportunities for Chinese companies. The total value of Chinese construction and investment deals in the Middle East in 2024, the most of any region in the world. That year, the three countries with the highest volume of BRI-related construction contracts and investment were all in the Middle East: Saudi Arabia, Iraq and the UAE. China its financial cooperation with Middle Eastern countries, particularly the UAE and Saudi Arabia. As part of China鈥檚 efforts to reduce global reliance on the US dollar for trade, it has arranged cross-border trade settlements, currency swap agreements, and is engaging in digital currency collaboration initiatives with these countries. American security guarantees have historically fostered an alignment between the Gulf states and the west. The string of agreements Trump signed with countries there reflects an attempt to draw them away from China and back towards Washington鈥檚 orbit. Countering China One of the more significant developments from Trump鈥檚 trip was an agreement to deepen US technological cooperation with the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar. The US and UAE announced they to construct the largest AI data centre outside of the US in Abu Dhabi. Technology is one of the key areas where China has been trying to assert its influence in the region. Through Beijing鈥檚 so-called initiative, which aims to develop a global digital ecosystem with China at its centre, Chinese firms with Middle Eastern countries to provide 5G mobile network technology. Chinese tech giants Huawei and Alibaba are also in the process of signing partnerships with telecommunications providers in the region for collaboration and research in . These companies have gained traction by aligning closely with national government priorities, such as to diversify its economy through tech development. American companies, including Amazon, Microsoft and Google, have spent years building regional tech ecosystems across the Gulf. Trump is looking to recover this momentum. He was joined in the Middle East by more than 30 leaders of top American companies, who also secured commercial deals with their peers from the Gulf. US quantum computing company Quantinuum and Qatari investment firm Al Rabban Capital worth up to a US$1 billion. The agreement will see investment in quantum technologies and workforce development in the US and Qatar. There are two other areas where Trump is trying to cut China off. American companies and Abu Dhabi鈥檚 state-run oil firm agreed a . China is heavily dependent on the Middle East for energy, of the oil it uses coming from the region. Greater alignment with the US could hamper Beijing鈥檚 ability to secure the resources it needs. Trump also of defence deals with Qatar and Saudi Arabia. These included a US$1 billion deal for Qatar to acquire drone defence technology from American aerospace conglomerate Raytheon RTX, and a US$142 billion agreement for the Saudis to buy military equipment from US firms. These moves underscore Washington鈥檚 intention to limit China鈥檚 influence in key defence sectors. China is a key player in the global market for commercial and military drones, providing Saudi Arabia and the UAE with a of their combat drones. One final aspect of Trump鈥檚 trip was with Syria鈥檚 interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa. Trump signalled possible sanctions relief, which has since . This constituted more than a diplomatic thaw. With China positioning itself as a regional mediator and Russia struggling with a diminished role following the fall of Bashar al-Assad in Syria, the US is looking to reassert itself as the primary power broker in the region. , Leverhulme Early Career Researcher, School of Geography, Politics, and Sociology, This article is republished from under a Creative Commons license. Read the . 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