Virtual: U.S.-China competition and the value of Middle East influence

The U.S. has expended considerable resources to dominate and influence Middle East politics through training, wars, and security guarantees built upon a vast network of basing and deployments. But China is growing its economic, diplomatic, and military engagement in the Middle East. In addition to growing investments and closer ties with Iran and others, there are signs of security cooperation with nations, like Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

What challenge, if any, does Chinese activity in the Middle East pose to U.S. interests? What does “competition” with China actually look like in practice? Should the U.S. maintain or deepen its military footprint in this fraught region for the sake of “influence”? Is China actually interested in a challenging U.S. preeminence in the region?