China-brokered Iran-Saudi peace dividend brings rare exhibits to Palace Museum
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Beijing's Palace Museum is hosting two exhibitions featuring hundreds of Iranian and Saudi Arabian artifacts rarely seen in the West. The exhibitions are likely a result of Chinese President Xi Jinping's culture-focused diplomatic initiative, the Global Civilisation Initiative (GCI), which aims to enhance exchanges and understanding between cultures. The relics on display reflect China's growing willingness to organize exhibitions outside Western mediation. The exhibitions examine the intertwined histories of Islam and ancient China through the exchange of goods and cultures along the Silk Road. Many of the relics cannot be displayed elsewhere due to US sanctions on Iran and Saudi Arabia. The exhibitions serve to boost China's modern ties with the Middle East and have educational value. Cultural exchanges can deepen bilateral cooperation and facilitate more complex economic and diplomatic agreements. The exhibitions are part of a larger historical process of the Global South becoming culturally confident in their roots and organizing exhibitions about their own histories and civilizations. Culture has played a role in China's diplomatic outreach since the early days of the People's Republic. Visitors find the exhibitions up to the standards of the Palace Museum and valuable for understanding the region's ancient history.
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