In this episode, we unpack the growing use of China's renminbi in oil trade with the Gulf Cooperation Council, and explore what it means for broader China-Middle ties and global power.  Guest Salam Alshareef joins host Safa Joudeh to trace growing interregional financial and infrastructural ties centred on Chinese capital and Gulf oil .  What does renminbi-based oil trade mean for U.S. dollar dominance, the Middle East's position in the global order and the architecture of global capitalism?

In this episode, host Safa Joudeh sits down with Dr. Shaojin Chai to explore how people-to-people ties are shaping China’s presence across the Middle East. From student exchanges and migrant labour to business networks and tourism, we look at how everyday interactions not only complement state-to-state diplomacy but also help construct China’s presence and narrative in the region. We discuss how these informal connections can reinforce China’s soft power and even contribute to its broader geopolitical influence, particularly as economic ties expand under the Belt and Road Initiative.