For Middle East to take control of destiny amid changes, development matters

Washington will not release its disputed Middle East peace plan before the Israeli election in mid-September, said Jason Greenblatt, U.S. President Donald Trump's envoy for international negotiations, on Wednesday.

The plan, also known as the "Deal of the Century," may well fail to recognize a two-state solution. Palestine has repeatedly voiced opposition, pointing to Washington's heavily tilted position toward Israel.

The West has a long record of interference in the region. After the First World War, with the fall of the Ottoman Empire, Western countries, mainly Britain and France, made a reckless deal and redrew the map of the Middle East. Ignorance of history, however, cost these powers dearly, when local calls for independence and conflicts among ethnic groups rumbled on.

Now on the fractured land, armed conflicts continue and terrorism is far from uprooted. Still, a band of outsiders have been contending for clout in the region. The regional landscape of geo-politics is changing, defined by power games, strategic hedging, and exchanges of interests.

The Syrian civil war is a microcosm of regional turbulence. It resulted from a destructive mix of religious, historical, political and economic factors, with interference on the part of major countries in other parts of the world, such as the United States.

Washington's actions have haunted the Middle East. A U.S.-led coalition started the Iraq War in 2003. Rather than the building of a so-called democracy model as the West promoted, only a protracted war remains and extreme groups like the Islamic State rise, plaguing the land.

Since Trump took office, his administration has changed the U.S. policy on the Middle East, only to escalate conflicts and cast further uncertainties over the region's future.

"The Middle East is a land of abundance. Yet we are pained to see it still plagued by war and conflict. Where should the Middle East be headed? This is the question the international community keeps asking. The people here want less conflict and suffering, more peace and dignity."

In January 2016, Chinese President Xi Jinping made the remarks at the Arab League Headquarters in Cairo, expressing compassion and concern for human suffering in the Middle East, with hope that the war-torn region could gain stability and prosperity when facing profound global changes unseen in a century.

For a long period to come, the Middle East is still to be a main battlefield for turf wars. It must quash riots, restore peace, and go on to revitalize the economy, improve living standards, and take advantage of the global changes, but how? This is the question every Middle Eastern country mulls over.

A trending answer gains traction in the region based on the principles of peace, development, mutual benefits and win-win results.

Amid global changes, Middle Eastern countries have taken positive actions. Saudi Arabia, for example, has introduced Vision 2030, an ambitious plan to reduce the country's dependence on oil and diversify its economy.

In a larger sense, the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) complements the Saudi plan. It has brought large-scale projects to the Gulf nation.

From proposing the BRI to signing documents like the Declaration of Action on China-Arab States Cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative, China shows consistency on its stand -- that is, it never looks for a proxy in the Middle East, seeks any sphere of influence, or attempts to fill the "vacuum."

"China is among the leading states that work on the stability and development of these countries" such as Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria, Hisham el-Zimaity, a former Egyptian ambassador, told Xinhua this January.

"China is ready to work with Arab states to jointly build the Belt and Road and expand common ground in our respective effort to achieve national renewal," Xi said at the Arab League Headquarters.

China is increasingly taking part in the economic growth of the Middle East. By pursuing dialogue and development, the region can address differences and overcome difficulties. As an Arab poet once wrote, quoted by Xi in his January 2016 speech, when you turn to the sun, you will see hope.