The dialogue will also discuss China’s potential role in supporting de-escalation efforts and restoring stability, as well as the impact of escalating tensions on energy security.

TRENDS Research & Advisory’s Beijing office is organizing its sixth strategic dialogue — The War in the Middle East: How China Sees the Crisis — on Thursday, April 9, 2026. The event will bring together a distinguished group of academics and experts from the People’s Republic of China, alongside TRENDS researchers and specialists, to discuss the dimensions of the ongoing crisis and its geopolitical and economic implications from a Chinese perspective.

The dialogue aims to explore Beijing’s positions on developments in the region and analyze its vision of the crisis in light of its international balances and strategic interests. It will also examine China’s potential role in supporting de-escalation efforts and restoring stability, and discuss the impact of escalating tensions on energy security and global supply chains. In addition, the session will assess the future of China-Arab relations amid these rapid transformations.

The dialogue will further address key themes outlined in the agenda, including a Chinese reading of the developments of the war in the Middle East, analysis of its political and economic dimensions, and the role of Chinese academic and media institutions in shaping perceptions of the crisis. It will also explore prospects for cultural and tourism cooperation between China and Arab countries in light of current challenges.

The program includes opening remarks, followed by a main panel discussion moderated by the Director of TRENDS’ China Office, featuring several professors and specialized researchers. The dialogue will conclude with closing remarks highlighting key outcomes and recommendations.

In this context, Dr. Mohammed Al Ali, CEO of TRENDS Research & Advisory, affirmed that organizing this dialogue reflects TRENDS’ commitment to keeping pace with major global transformations and providing specialized intellectual platforms to analyze issues of global impact. “Understanding China’s perspective on Middle East crises has become a strategic necessity, given China’s growing role on the international stage and its position as an influential partner in issues of security, stability, and development,” he noted.

He said that the dialogue reflects TRENDS’ commitment to advancing rigorous academic research and fostering knowledge exchange among think tanks and international experts, thereby contributing to informed decision-making and anticipating the future of the region amid rapid change.