The UAE, not Iran, is where China’s Middle East influence is most intriguing.
REACTION
Last month Wang Yi, China’s foreign minister, made a six-country tour of the Middle East. Although media coverage was dominated by China’s supposed 25-year Iran deal, perhaps more intriguing is what was happening on the other side of the Gulf, in the United Arab Emirates.
During Wang’s stay in Abu Dhabi, a joint venture was announced between China’s Sinopharm and the Abu Dhabi-based technology company, G42 Healthcare, to produce a ‘Made in UAE’ version of the former’s COVID-19 vaccine, branded Hayat Vax. It has the potential to revolutionize the region’s vaccine rollout.
