China and Qatar are strengthening bilateral ties: What that really means

Beijing, China – Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani has completed a two-day visit to China, with officials describing the relationship as entering a new “golden decade”.

China has called Qatar an “important strategic partner” in the Middle East and the Gulf, and the two sides have agreed to expand cooperation in energy, investment and advanced technologies.

But it’s clear the continuing US-Israeli war on Iran, and ongoing Qatari efforts to mediate between Tehran and Washington, were central to discussions.

“It’s not acceptable at all to have this state of no war and no peace. This is not beneficial to the region, the countries of the region, and the people,” Ibrahim bin Sultan al-Hashmi, director of the Department of Media and Communications at Qatar’s Foreign Ministry, told reporters in Doha on Tuesday following the meetings. “Qatar is working hard with its partners, including China. Diplomatic efforts are being exerted and new ideas are being discussed.”

Beijing pledged to increase communication and coordination with Doha to help restore regional peace and stability. Qatar has told China it would prioritise its energy supply despite the difficulties.

The disruption to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has raised the stakes for both sides.

Qatar is one of the world’s biggest exporters of liquefied natural gas (LNG), while China is the world’s largest importer of crude oil. Both have a significant interest in restoring stability to the strait, through which around one-fifth of global oil and LNG normally passes.

Energy is also the backbone of the relationship. China is Qatar’s largest trading partner, with bilateral trade worth $23.8bn last year. Qatar is China’s second-largest source of LNG, supplying 19.4 million tonnes in 2025. QatarEnergy has signed 27-year LNG supply agreements with Chinese state-owned energy giants CNPC and Sinopec, which have also taken stakes in Qatar’s massive North Field gas expansion.