The US military presence in the Middle East is the culmination of a common bargain with Middle Eastern governments - security cooperation and military assistance in exchange for US access to military bases in the region. Despite significant financial expenditure and thousands of lives lost, a fundamental shift in policy remains unimaginable at present.

This paper argues that by identifying clear ideas about acceptable conduct in the key domains (Maritime, Space and Cyber) the US and China can avoid conflict without presuming away differences of interest or opinion.