Early encounters and rivalry to reach out to the region -- The oil boom-induced construction bonanza and export markets -- Coping with crisis : the South's loss is the North's gain -- Business as usual in the era of transition and uncertainty -- The pinnacle of gains in the midst of rising new...

China in the Middle East: Aspiring to become a great powerbroker -- Japan: Eyeing a new role in Middle East Affairs -- South Korea: A relentless quest for a second boom -- North Korea: Seeking normalcy since the demise of Kim Il-Sung -- Unknown and undetected: Taiwan's resilient and viable...

The 1980s : marking a watershed in Sino-Iranian ties -- Under eminences grises : vowing perpetual partnership -- Same talks, contrasting connotations : civilizational nuances -- Principlism engages pragmatism : failures and frictions -- A new era : toward strategic equilibrium -- Conclusion