PNN – Referring to Trump’s trip to three Arab countries, Chinese state media called the trip a noisy but empty show, emphasizing that despite the short-term economic benefits, the trip will not achieve much for the United States in the fields of politics, security, and diplomacy.
According to the report of Pakistan News Network, China’s state-run media outlet The Paper published an analytical note on the pretext of Trump’s first foreign trip after re-assigning the US presidency and re-selecting Saudi Arabia as his first destination, as in 2017.
At the beginning of this note it says: US President Trump will travel to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE from May 13 to 16; in fact, this trip is Trump’s first real foreign visit after returning to the White House and one of his most important foreign visits in his second term.
The media outlet adds about the importance of the trip to Saudi Arabia for the Trump administration: The choice of Saudi Arabia as the first foreign destination, as was the case with his first trip in 2017, demonstrates the strategic importance of the Persian Gulf region to the United States. The US special representative for the Middle East recently stated that the importance of the Persian Gulf region may even exceed that of Europe.
Chinese media also points to sensitive changes in relations between Israel and the United States: It is noteworthy that, unlike his 2017 trip, Trump will not visit Israel, America’s most important ally in the region. This, along with the recent US agreement with the Yemenis without Israel’s knowledge, Washington’s ongoing talks with Iran, and the possibility of recognizing the state of Palestine, indicate a significant shift in US-Israeli relations.
The article notes: However, both Trumps’ emphasis on the importance of the Persian Gulf and the shift in relations with Israel are all reflections of the pragmatic and profit-oriented nature of Trump’s foreign policy. US Middle East policies are increasingly confused, and Trump’s recent trip reflects the deepening structural contradictions between America’s strategic withdrawal from the Middle East and its efforts to maintain its dominance in the region.
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According to this media outlet, Trump has chosen Saudi Arabia and other Arab Gulf countries as his first foreign destinations during both of his presidential terms. This move is a combination of the financial power of these countries and their security dependence on the United States, with the profit-oriented orientation of Trump’s policy. In a global recession and weak investment, Persian Gulf assets are tempting for Trump.
It should be noted that during Trump’s 2017 visit to Saudi Arabia, the United States received more than $300 billion in arms orders from Saudi Arabia. The media outlet noted: During his (Trump’s) first term, the Arab Gulf countries became money-making machines for the United States, and even Iran referred to them as “cash cows.” This time, Trump is returning to the same goal.
Before the trip, Saudi Arabia proposed investing $600 billion in the United States over the next four years, and Trump has called for that figure to rise to $1 trillion. The UAE has also announced plans to invest $1.4 trillion in the United States over the next ten years in areas such as artificial intelligence, energy, semiconductors, and manufacturing.
Attracting investment from Gulf sovereign wealth funds will help Trump demonstrate the achievements of his “America First” policy to voters. In this regard, many executives from major companies have also accompanied Trump on this trip. Artificial intelligence is one of the main focuses of these discussions, especially regarding attracting more investment from Arab countries in American technology companies and their access to advanced technologies such as semiconductors.
In addition, arms sales and aircraft contracts remain important revenue streams. The State Department recently approved $3.5 billion in arms sales to Saudi Arabia, and Trump is set to announce more than $100 billion in arms deals during his trip. Saudi Arabia’s purchase of the F-35 fighter jet is also a hot topic.
In the aviation sector, air travel giant Qatar Airways is preparing an order for about 100 Boeing wide-body aircraft, while Emirates is looking to buy Boeing’s 777X series. Riyadh Air is also considering buying 50 wide-body aircraft and ordering dozens of General Electric aircraft engines.
Referring to possible agreements between the United States and regional countries, the Chinese media emphasized: Gulf countries, due to their financial strength, large market, and security dependence on the United States, provide the United States with huge opportunities for arms sales, capital attraction, and technology development. Trump also takes advantage of these opportunities for personal and family gain with a blunt approach, something that is rare among American presidents.
Political failure in the shadow of economic achievements
The note goes on to examine the political achievements of this trip and warns: Despite the short-term economic gains, Trump will not achieve much in the fields of politics, security, and diplomacy. The United States has long withdrawn from the Middle East, focusing on competing with great powers. The efforts of the Trump and Biden administrations to pressure countries in the region and prevent them from cooperating with China and Russia have also not been very successful.
The reality is that Middle Eastern countries have become increasingly independent and have adopted a balanced approach to foreign relations. They engage with both the West and powers such as China, Russia, India, and the Global South. They are no longer passive actors, but active role-makers in a multipolar and competitive region.
At the end of this article, referring to the increasing differences between the United States and its allies over the Palestinian issue, it was noted that: Arab countries at the Cairo meeting firmly opposed Trump’s irresponsible plans for Gaza. Saudi Arabia has also announced that its relations with Israel will not be normalized without real progress in establishing a Palestinian state.
On the other hand, Trump’s recent cooling of relations with Israel, his bypassing of the deal with the Yemenis, and his separate negotiations with Iran all indicate tensions in traditional US-Israeli relations.
As a result, although Trump’s trip is glamorous and will apparently bring many financial gains, it cannot change the overall trend of the decline of American hegemony in the Middle East and the increase in the strategic independence of the countries in the region.