Chinese journalism is expanding its footprint across the Middle East in ways that sharply diverge from Western outlets like CNN. Rather than sending foreign correspondents, China’s CGTN deploys local reporters to tell regional stories, building trust and sidestepping the backlash often directed at U.S. and European media. As CGTN positions itself as a friendlier, non-interventionist alternative to the West, the implications for regional politics, public opinion, and global soft power are profound. Is China’s model of “journalism without interference” winning hearts and minds in the Arab world? And how does it shape local narratives about America?

In this episode, Joshua Yaphe speaks with Adel El Mahrouky, a freelance Middle East correspondent for CGTN. El Mahrouky has two decades of experience reporting from the region.

Music by Ashot Danielyan from Pixabay.

The Middle East is becoming an increasingly contested arena in the emerging strategic competition between the United States and China. For global hubs like Dubai, this rivalry threatens to upend long-standing economic models built on openness, interconnectivity, and neutral ground. As tensions escalate, the region faces difficult choices about how to navigate great power politics without sacrificing prosperity or autonomy. Can countries like the UAE maintain their balancing act—or will they be forced to choose sides in a new global divide?

In this episode, Joshua Yaphe speaks with Mohammed Baharoon, Director General of the Dubai Public Policy Research Center (b’huth). Baharoon previously served as a reporter for “Al Arabi” Magazine and Al Ittihad newspaper, and then as an editor for Gulf Defence Magazine before starting as director of research at b’huth.

Music by Ashot Danielyan from Pixabay.