You're reading an excerpt from Al-Monitor China-Middle East, where we analyze China's deepening engagement with the region. To get this newsletter in your inbox weekly, sign up here.As the Middle East absorbs the ongoing fallout from the US-Israel-Iran war, China’s appeal is growing even among Washington’s closest regional partners.Governments across the region are looking to Beijing for investment, technology and, increasingly, security cooperation. Egypt has expanded defense ties with China, while Gulf states are pursuing Chinese military and economic deals.This week, Jordanian King Abdullah II joined the crowd, traveling to China for a weeklong stay, his first state visit there in more than a decade.His trip does not necessarily signal a Jordanian pivot away from the United States. Rather, it reflects a broader regional recalibration. US partners are looking for more economic options and greater strategic room to maneuver in an increasingly uncertain regional environment.A week across ChinaKing Abdullah’s Aug. 18–24 visit kicked off in Shanghai and includes stops in Beijing and Shenzhen. It is his ninth trip to China since becoming king in 1999 and his first since 2015, when Jordan and China established a strategic partnership.In Shanghai on Tuesday, the Jordanian monarch met executives from Chinese companies involved in pharmaceuticals, food, engineering, agriculture and aviation, according to a readout from the Royal Palace. He also visited AgiBot, a major Chinese robotics company, where he was briefed on applications ranging from manufacturing and logistics to hospitality and security.King Abdullah arrived in Beijing on Thursday, according to Xinhua, where he is expected to meet President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Qiang and legislative leader Zhao Leji. Petra, Jordan’s official news agency, reported that the two sides expect to sign cooperation agreements and memorandums of understanding in several sectors. His visit to Shenzhen, China’s technology and manufacturing hub, underscores the commercial focus of the trip.Jobs, energy and technologyAmman’s most immediate interest in China is economic. The US-Israel-Iran war has added to the economic pressure on Jordan, increasing the urgency of attracting investment and diversifying the economy. Tourism, which accounts for 10%–15% of GDP, has been hit by the regional instability, while higher energy costs and disruptions to trade and air travel have stressed an economy heavily dependent on imports.In an interview with Chinese state outlet Xinhua on Monday, King Abdullah seemed keen to emphasize opportunities for economic cooperation, saying that Jordan is “well positioned to serve as a regional manufacturing and export hub. Chinese manufacturing investments could leverage this position, benefiting from our natural resources, skilled workforce, stable business environment, strategic location and extensive network of trade agreements.”