Al Jazeera: The Trend of Arab Youth's Favorability Toward China Is on the Rise

On September 3, 2025, the Chinese military held a well-organized military parade in Tiananmen Square to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the victory in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. During this parade, China showcased a series of weapons, including intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads and hypersonic missiles. This has once again ignited the hopes of fragile and vulnerable regional populism, especially in the Arab region – where, according to numbers and statistics, it can be said that China holds a public opinion advantage in the region.

Notably, at the time of this parade, many international media outlets paid particular attention to such opinion polls – which show that the favorability of Arab youth toward China is on the rise, especially given the large youth population in the Arab region, where about 60% of the population is under the age of 30.

Most of these opinion polls are conducted by professional and reliable media, such as the Global Times, "Arab Public Opinion," and PR companies based in the capitals of Arab countries.

Melissa Kaurma from the Wilson Center pointed out that this result is not surprising, given China's rising image in the region – Chinese media emphasize that unlike the United States, China has never conducted any military intervention in the Arab world.

Moreover, the media coverage mainly focuses on China's economic success stories and its economic cooperation with the region, and data also confirms the superiority of this economic narrative.

Additionally, a Chinese scholar stated that many government and business leaders in the Middle East and North Africa view China as a good, reliable, and non-political partner who can provide them with technology and trade without being restricted by human rights or Western political conditions.

Many U.S. policymakers believe that China's growing positive presence in the Middle East poses a challenge to American interests and the stability of the region.

In 2022, Colin Kahl, then Deputy Secretary of Defense for Policy, commented on China's role in the region, saying, "China seeks to establish geopolitical relationships based on transactional and commercial interests... going beyond genuine investments in regional security."

A senior U.S. Air Force general also agreed with this view, claiming that China is trying to "replace" the United States in the region by expanding its economic, military, and diplomatic influence.

However, a scholar from the Carnegie Endowment argued that this claim is misleading. China's growing presence in the region is not about competing with U.S. regional influence but should be understood as evidence of a broader shift toward multiple alliances in the region's geopolitics.

Specifically, Middle Eastern countries no longer seek a single 'preferred partner' – as the United States defines itself. Instead, many countries are beginning to seek diversified partnerships, seeing this as the best way to maintain their independence and achieve their own interests.

This shift towards multilateral alliances has opened the door for greater Chinese involvement in regional affairs and has rekindled interest across the Middle East in building closer partnerships with India, South Korea, Japan, Turkey, and other middle powers.

This parade does not signal a transition of unipolar hegemony from the United States to China, but rather highlights China's efforts to consolidate its central position in a world that is already becoming multipolar.

Sources: Mahmoud Sultan, Egyptian writer and journalist.

This article expresses only the personal views of the author and does not reflect the editorial stance of Al Jazeera.

Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1843970122233988/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author alone.