Trump’s troubles with Iran could open the door to China

Beijing launches diplomatic salvo to woo Gulf leaders and bolster its influence in the region

China has held a flurry of meetings with Gulf leaders in a sign that Beijing is stepping up its diplomatic efforts in the Middle East.

The diplomatic salvo comes before a highly anticipated meeting between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping when the US president is expected to attend the Apec conference in Shenzhen, China, on 18 and 19 November.

Xi held talks with Haitham bin Tariq, Oman’s sultan, in a historic state visit to Beijing on Monday.

President Xi’s foreign minister, Wang Yi, met Saudi Arabia’s national security adviser, Musaad bin Mohammed Al Aiban, and the deputy secretary of Iran’s national security council, Ali Bagheri Kani.