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Three ways China benefits from Saudi-Turkey-Pakistan pact: What to know

The pact points to a more multipolar Middle Eastern security order, one in which Washington is no longer the unquestioned center of Gulf security.

Rosaleen Carroll , Joyce Karam

Aug 13, 2026

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Nearly six months into the US war in Iran and with no clear exit strategy for Washington, a new security reality is emerging in the Gulf, one that plays into China’s hands and its vision for the region.

Last Friday, the leaders of Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan signed a joint defense agreement that commits the three countries to treating an armed attack against one as an armed attack against all. The agreement, dubbed the Mecca pact, calls for greater military coordination, including intelligence sharing, training, logistics and defense industry cooperation.

The pact’s practical significance remains uncertain, but it reflects an effort by regional powers to forge security arrangements that do not depend entirely on the United States.

China has not officially endorsed the pact, but its state-run Xinhua news agency highlighted the agreement as a response to rising regional security concerns. More broadly, the pact fits Beijing’s long-running argument that Middle Eastern states should play a leading role in shaping regional security, rather than relying on an external power. China has promoted what it calls “common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security,” while arguing for a regional........

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