China’s Move to Expel the U.S. from the Region
China’s Move to Expel the U.S. from the Region
Published reports indicate that the think tanks and political and military intelligence circles of the People’s Republic of China are intensively examining the future outlook of the United States’ military presence in the Persian Gulf and West Asia.
These examinations are part of a long-term strategy to design a plan to gradually reduce or eliminate U.S. military bases in the region, as Beijing views this presence as contrary to its long-term interests and the grand Belt and Road Initiative.
Accordingly, it is expected that China, relying on political leverage and the support of its strategic ally, the Islamic Republic of Iran, will organize efforts to weaken or expel American forces from the region.
In recent years, Iran, with indirect support from China and Russia, particularly through its presence at the Imam Ali base in Abu Kamal, Syria, has pursued targeted military actions against American positions.
Beijing has also placed special emphasis on the role of the Egyptian army in this process, especially since there is no official U.S. military presence on Egyptian soil, and this country is recognized as the main gateway to North Africa.
In the near future, China may, in coordination with Egypt, undertake actions to weaken the structure of the U.S. Africa Command (USAFRICOM), which is responsible for managing Washington’s defense relations with 53 African countries, excluding Egypt.
In this context, China, Iran, and Egypt are closely monitoring the activities and movements of American forces and the performance of Washington’s military bases in the occupied territories with full sensitivity.
China claims that the United States has used one of its bases inside Israel to monitor the joint exercise ‘Eagle of Civilization,’ which was held between the armed forces of China and Egypt in April 2025.
This joint military exercise was perceived as a potential confrontation with the Washington-Tel Aviv axis and sparked a wave of concern among Israeli and American military elites.
In this framework, Beijing has increased its political and logistical support for the Egyptian government and military led by Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in the face of Western pressures, especially from the U.S. and Israel, regarding the issue of the forced transfer of the Palestinian population to the Sinai Peninsula.
The timing of this issue with the strengthening of Egypt’s military presence in the Sinai Desert and the holding of joint maneuvers with the Chinese army has heightened Israel’s security concerns, and some observers have deemed it contrary to the provisions of the Camp David Accords.
In response to U.S. military actions around the world, Beijing is seeking to expand its military presence beyond its geographical borders.
The country is specifically looking to establish military centers and naval bases in areas such as the Mediterranean Sea, the Red Sea, and the Persian Gulf to protect its strategic interests through the Belt and Road Initiative.
However, China’s plans are not limited to the Middle East, as Latin America, Africa, and Southeast Asia are also within the scope of China’s geopolitical programs.
The aim of this military expansion, in addition to defending economic interests, is to gain the ability to rapidly intervene in distant crises and conduct military operations in strategic points around the world.
Although China has not officially unveiled a specific plan to end the U.S. military presence in the region, it has gradually taken steps toward this goal using tools such as joint military maneuvers, the sale of advanced weapons, military flights in sensitive areas, and the temporary deployment of naval fleets. Analysts believe that China, in cooperation with Iran, is advancing a policy to limit the U.S. military role in the Middle East.
On the other hand, Tehran, utilizing China’s political and technological support, has continued attacks on American bases in neighboring countries like Iraq and Qatar. Even before recent Israeli attacks on Iran, Iranian military commanders had warned that in the event of aggression by the U.S., the joint U.S.-British base on Diego Garcia Island in the Indian Ocean could be targeted.
With indirect support for these movements, Beijing is planning to implement a grand military strategy aimed at reducing U.S. dominance in the Persian Gulf and the Middle East and paving the way for increasing China’s geopolitical and economic influence in this key region of the world.