What is the intention behind the U.A.E.'s "eviction order", which removed a chair of the US military in the Middle East, and then immediately looked at China and sent an air force unit to China? In the context of the Sino-US game, what will be the impact?
Recently, China's Ministry of National Defense announced an important military development, that is, the Chinese and Arab militaries will hold the "Falcon Shield-2024" joint air force training in Xinjiang, China from late June to late July 2024.
This event is not only a further deepening of Sino-Arab military cooperation, but also a subtle change in the pattern of international strategic cooperation.
It is worth mentioning that this is not the first time that China and Arab countries have held such joint exercises. Last year's first joint air force exercise has already attracted widespread attention from Western countries.
In the United States in particular, some argue that the U.A.E., through its military cooperation with China, is trying to show that it can find other ways to ensure its own security, even without United States security guarantees.
It should be pointed out that the significance of the Sino-Arab joint military exercise goes far beyond simple military training.
First, it represents U.A.E.'s reassertion of United States' long-standing dominance in the Middle East, and shows that the U.A.E. seeks a more diverse partner in international relations.
Second, the U.A.E.'s defense cooperation with a number of countries, including China, India, and Iran, over the past few years underscores its greater flexibility in pursuing an independent foreign policy.
However, the joint training of the Chinese and Arab air forces is not only a transmission of political and strategic signals, but also of great significance for exchanges between the two countries at the military technical and tactical levels. For China in particular, this is a great opportunity to showcase the performance of its high-end fighter jets, as well as to promote mutual understanding and trust between the two air forces.
Considering that the U.A.E. Air Force is currently mainly equipped with high-end fighters from Western countries, such as the American-made "Fighting Falcon" (F-16) and France's "Mirage-2000", this joint training may also open up new sales channels for China's aviation industry in the international market, especially in the context of increasing competition with Western military technology.
It cannot be ignored that the 80 Rafale fighter jets and 12 military helicopters ordered by the U.A.E. from France in 2021 demonstrate its growing military strength and importance to modernizing its military. In this context, Sino-Arab joint training not only deepens military cooperation between the two countries, but also may promote a broader exchange of technology and defense products.
For the PLA, it is also an opportunity to find out the strength of the Western air force.
First of all, from a technical and tactical point of view, the PLA can indeed have an in-depth understanding of Western fighters. While China has conducted air exercises with several countries, including Russia, Pakistan and Thailand, these exercises offer a distinctly different level of opportunity than cooperation with the U.A.E..
Especially compared with the exercises in which the Pakistani and Thailand air forces participated in the old F-16, Thunder or J-10, the modernization level of the U.A.E. Air Force and its high-end Western fighters undoubtedly provide China with a rare opportunity to learn and compare.
Second, the Sino-Arab joint exercise is not only reflected in enhancing the tactical cooperation capabilities of the two sides, but more importantly, it symbolizes the deepening of trust and understanding in the military field between the two countries.
In addition, arms sales are also an important aspect of Sino-Arab military exchanges.
The "Falcon" (L-15) trainer aircraft purchased by the U.A.E. shows that the interest of Middle Eastern countries in Chinese military equipment is gradually heating up. This is not only because Chinese products have the advantage of high cost performance, but also because it may reflect a geopolitical repositioning.
Especially in the context of United States' lackluster Middle East policy and cautious attitude towards arms sales to its allies, China's arms sales policy and diplomatic concepts have gradually won the recognition and favor of the Gulf countries.
Finally, it must be noted that this cooperation at the military level reflects broader changes in international relations. With United States' influence in the Middle East relatively waning, China is filling this gap by actively participating in regional affairs and providing military and economic cooperation.
The U.A.E. and other Gulf countries have strengthened military exchanges with China, not only because of the specific military technology needs of both sides, but also because of the prediction of changes in the future international order and the adjustment of their own strategic security considerations.
On the whole, the deepening military cooperation between China and Argentina is not only a demonstration of the exchange of military strength between the two countries, but also a symbol of the subtle changes that are taking place in the balance of power in international relations.
This change is not only related to the Middle East, but is more likely to have far-reaching implications for the global strategic landscape. However, this is obviously not the situation that United States wants to see, and it can be expected that in the coming days, the degree of United States' demonization against China will only become more crazy.