US needs not consider China as enemy in Middle East: media

The United States does not need to consider China as an adversary in the Middle East, said an opinion piece published by a website called War on the Rocks.

"China's actions in the region are not always damaging to US interests," said the article entitled "China does not have to be America's enemy in the Middle East" released on Monday.

"Sometimes, the United States may even find overlapping interests with China given that both countries have a stake in containing conflicts and instability," it added.

The article said "an uptick in Chinese influence does not necessarily erode US power in the region."

It suggested that as the United States contends with global challenges, it should "look for potential opportunities to cooperate with China."