The challenge of managing great power rivalry in the Middle East
Kerry Boyd Anderson
February 08, 2021 23:09
Chinese President Xi Jinping and Joe Biden during a welcoming ceremony inside the Great Hall of the People on Aug. 18, 2011, in Beijing. (Getty Images)
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In a foreign policy speech last week, US President Joe Biden highlighted China as “our most serious competitor” and also expressed concern about Russia. As the Biden administration seeks to shape its policy toward the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), competition between the US, China and Russia will be a key factor.
Russia has a long history of involvement in the region. In between the fall of the Soviet Union and 2015, however, it had a very limited role. President Vladimir Putin’s decision to actively support Bashar Assad in Syria, including with military force, marked a change in Russia’s approach. Since then, Moscow has expanded relations with multiple countries, including the Gulf Arab states and Israel, and played a role in the conflict in Libya.