Weekend Long Read: China’s Role in Restoring Saudi Arabia-Iran Ties

The restoration of diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran — two long-time adversaries in the Middle East — earlier this month in Beijing is further proof of China’s rising global influence, analysts said.

Sun Degang, director of the Center for Middle Eastern Studies at Fudan University, believes the recent significant breakthrough in Beijing also highlights China’s “unique political status as well as diplomatic appeal and influence.”