In this chapter China’s approach to conflict among the coastline countries in the Horn of Africa (Somalia, French Somaliland and Eritrea) and the states of the Arabian Peninsula (North Yemen, South Yemen and Oman) are examined during the Cold War. The inclusion of countries from the Horn of Africa/East Africa in the study of conflict in the Middle East is justified on geographic, cultural and historical grounds. The chapter provides a summary of China’s experience with conflict in each of the countries in the region between the 1960s and 1980s, including development assistance to friendly regimes and military assistance to militant groups like the Eritrean People’s Liberation Front (EPFL) in Eritrea and the Dhofaris in the Gulf. Chinese aid during this period was motivated by an interest in reducing Western and Soviet influence. From the 1970s, Chinese goals changed in favour of closer diplomatic relations with regional governments like Saudi Arabia and Iran and causing it to abandon support for militancy. Following the change, the EPFL and Dhofaris experienced contrasting fortunes, which owed much to domestic factors.