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Motivated by a shared frustration with the United States, China stands to gain from a growing convergence of views, including the stand on Ukraine, with key states in the Middle East and is filling the power vacuum in the region.
China and its Middle East partners have found themselves on the same side more often than not regarding the conflict in Ukraine, reported Straits Times. The alignment between China and the Middle East is also evident in the voting records of three recent United Nations resolutions. The UN Security Council, on February 26, voted on a resolution that would have demanded Moscow immediately stop its attack on Ukraine and withdraw all troops. China and UAE both abstained in the vote on this resolution, as per the media portal. Moreover, China has neither condemned Russian actions in Ukraine nor ruled out the possibility of Beijing acting as a mediator in a push for peace. Not only is there a fear of "economic uncertainty" but there is also "reputational damage" due to China's association with the "brutishness of Russia's aggression" against Ukraine and due to these Chinese President Xi Jinping has become "unsettled". This war is proving to be fraught with risks for China, putting Beijing in an awkward nexus as it tries to juggle support for its ally while pretending to be neutral. China has tried hard to portray itself as neutral in this conflict, but it is patently obvious that it is not easy walking such a tightrope. Russian talking points are blithely repeated by Chinese officials, one example being the ridiculous notion that the USA has biological warfare laboratories in Ukraine. (ANI)
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