Syria has re-joined the Arab League, after the League had excluded it for 12 years since the outset of the Syrian Civil War. But the bigger winner is China. China used the Syria-Arab League deal to praise Syria’s re-emergence from isolation, take credit for the deal (which came on the heels of the China-brokered Iran-Saudi Arabia deal), and knock the United States.

China heaped praise on Syria’s ascension to the Arab League. The development was “exhilarating news” and the Chinese “sincerely feel happy for Syria and the Arab League” according to Global Times. It was a “landmark event,” according to another Global Times article. Syria’s growing ties with the Arab world represented a “wind of change,” according to Xinhua.

China strongly influenced the Syria–Arab League deal, as the Chinese brokered Iran-Saudi Arabia deal allowed Saudi Arabia to make peace with Syria, and for Iran and Saudi Arabia to reduce tensions with each other in Syria and Yemen. And China agrees: Chinese mediation to clinch an Iran-Saudi Arabia peace deal gave the “direct impetus for the Arab League’s decision,” according to a Global Times article.

China has gone a step further, claiming that it was directly involved with the Syria-Arab League deal, a claim which could not be substantiated at the time of this writing in press from the free world. The Syria-Arab League deal was brought about“with the help of China’s mediation,” according to Global Times. Syria’s ambassador to China stated that the Arab League’s decision was “initiated by the efforts of peace-loving and responsible global powers, including China,” according to another Global Times article. In that article, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman echoed that “China has been actively engaging with all parties concerned on this matter, and has always supported the unity of Arab countries and the rejoining of Syria to the bloc.” A mere weeks before the deal, Assad praised China as playing a ”positive role in promoting Syria’s relations with other Arab nations,” and that “China is willing to continue to play a constructive role in improving Syria’s relations with Arab countries,” according to Xinhua.

Meanwhile, China used the Syria-Arab League deal as an opportunity to criticize the US’ role in the region. According to “Chinese observers” cited in the Global Times, “…the US only seeks to maintain its hegemonic status and harms peace, development rights and interests of countries in the Middle East, and will not be sustainable…” That same article, citing a Chinese academic, stated that “the US’ illegal military presence in Syria and its sanctions policy against the country are incompatible with the trend of regional relations…” and that “the regional demand for US security guarantees has declined sharply.” Syria’s ascension to the Arab League was due a decline in US influence in the Middle East due to the “US’ irresponsible behavior in events such as the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan and provoking confrontation in the Russia-Ukraine conflict,” according to Global Times. The United States’ opposition to Syria rejoining the Arab League amountedto an “an overwhelming reluctance and non-acceptance of the independence and autonomy shown in the Middle East,”according to Global Times.

In a charm offensive, China has scored several geopolitical wins this year alone. It is hawking a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine, has successfully brokered peace with Iran and Saudi Arabia in March which it has used to at least influence a Syria-Arab League deal, and has re-ignited its construction of a military base in the UAE. It is imperative that the Biden administration counter China’s inroads in the Middle East by jump–starting the Abraham Accords, before the Gulf and the broader region slips further into the hands of the CCP.