World

China's Xi says Middle East should not become battleground for great power rivalry

BEIJING/DUBAI, Nov 2 (Reuters) - The Middle East and Gulf region should not become a battleground for great-power rivalry and China is willing to work with Arab nations to achieve lasting peace, Chinese President Xi Jinping told Oman's sultan on Monday. China has traditionally played a low-key diplomatic role in the Middle East, but has stepped up efforts to try to help end tensions amid the US-Israeli war on Iran,which has snarled the Strait of Hormuz and driven up global energy and shipping co