The Institute of West-Asian and African Studies (IWAAS, also known as China-Africa Institute) of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) hosted the 22nd Ambassador Lecture on March 5, 2026, featuring a keynote speech by H.E. Ou Boqian, Consul General of the People's Republic of China in Dubai. Professor Ye Hailin, Director-general of the IWAAS, delivered opening remarks, and Professor Tian Feng, Deputy Director-general of IWAAS presided over the lecture. The event was attended by scholars from the institute.

Consul General Ou Boqian is delivering speech

In her speech titled "Reflections on the Middle East Issue in the Context of U.S.-China Strategic Competition", Consul General Ou Boqian offered an in-depth analysis of the Middle East issue against the backdrop of U.S.-China strategic competition. She examined several topics, including the evolution of the current regional situation, the U.S. strategic calculus in the Middle East, the region’s geostrategic significance, and the role of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the global geopolitical and economic landscape. The speech followed by discussions with the Institute’s scholars, covering a range of topics such as the trajectory of U.S.-Israel-Iran conflicts, the evolving relations among regional states, the development of artificial intelligence (AI) in the region, as well as China’s foreign policy in the Middle East and Africa. 

A scene of the lecture