Middle East changes create opening for much-needed China-US cooperation: SCMP

File photo shows Wang Qun (L, front), Chinese envoy to the United Nations and other international organizations in Vienna, talking with Iranian deputy foreign minister Abbas Araqchi (R, front), at a meeting of the Joint Commission on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in Vienna, Austria, May 7, 2021. (EU Delegation Vienna/Handout via Xinhua)

"Multilateral cooperation would allow China to maintain its perceived neutrality while showcasing an ability to be a credible global power broker," the article said.

HONG KONG, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- Regional changes in the Middle East have created an opening for much-needed cooperation rather than confrontation between China and the United States, according to a recent opinion piece of the South China Morning Post (SCMP).

With Iranian nuclear talks set to resume, the Middle East is at a critical diplomatic juncture, said the authors.

"Importantly, a less-hostile environment in the Middle East could be helpful in defusing growing tensions in Asia, while also proving pivotal in bringing Iran back to the negotiating table," they said.

Shared geostrategic interests such as nuclear non-proliferation, economic stability and climate change could make the Middle Eastern theatre one of managed strategic cooperation in the face of broader global competition, they said.

"Multilateral cooperation would allow China to maintain its perceived neutrality while showcasing an ability to be a credible global power broker," the article said.