Xi Hosts Arab Leaders as China’s ‘Soft Power’ Expands in Mideast

  • Beijing summit to be attended by UAE, Egypt heads of state
  • Talks seen focusing on investment links, need to end Gaza war
Xi Jinping at the first China-Arab States forum in Riyadh in 2022.Source: Xinhua/Getty Images
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President Xi Jinping will meet Arab leaders this week seeking deeper ties in a region where China does plenty of business — and increasingly diplomacy, too.

Xi will address the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum in Beijing on Thursday with heads of state from Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Tunisia among the attendees. Talks will likely focus on fast-growing trade and investment, and regional security concerns amid the Israel-Hamas war.