What Kind of Role does China Want in the Middle East: A Breakdown
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Hashim Sheikh
- . June 6, 2024
- . Update: June 6, 2024 9:35 pm
China now has a far larger footprint in the Middle East, embracing not only its conventional energy focus but also economic, geopolitical, and strategic objectives. The character and consequences of China’s goals in the area are examined in this research.
Diversification and Economic Growth
China has dramatically boosted its commerce with Middle Eastern countries, and by 2020 it will overtake the European Union as the Gulf Cooperation Council’s (GCC) main economic partner. Chinese growth as a significant non-oil business partner for Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates is highlighted by ongoing talks for a free trade agreement with GCC countries. China has increased its investments by means of programmes such as the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which use infrastructure projects to improve connectivity and project its might in the region.
Links in Diplomacy and Strategy
China’s “non-interventionist” stance shapes its Middle Eastern strategy by appealing to countries looking to broaden their international ties. By means of strategic alliances and memoranda of understanding, China has strengthened its relations with the majority of Middle Eastern nations and participated in regional forums as the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum and the China-GCC Strategic Dialogue.
Initiative Belt and Road: A Geopolitical Instrument
China’s engagement in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) area has grown since the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) was launched in 2013. By means of infrastructure projects such as the Silk Road Economic Belt and the Maritime Silk Road Initiative, the BRI seeks to link East Asia with the Mediterranean. The BRI, for all its claims to neutrality, puts China at the heart of Eurasia and the Indian Ocean, affecting politics, economics, diplomacy, and security.
Chinese Nonmilitary Engagement Approach
Being a key economic partner, a covert mediator, and a supplier of security public goods, China helps to maintain peace and security in the Middle East. China puts diplomatic and economic sway ahead of military presence, unlike other great countries engaged in direct military operations.
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Mission of Harmony and Peace
China considers collaboration and diplomacy as crucial in tackling interrelated and complicated global issues, hence it is dedicated to advancing peace in the Middle East. China seeks to promote regional cooperation and settle conflicts by using historical links, diplomatic might, and a practical approach.
Deepening Chinese involvement in the Middle East is a reflection of a changing geopolitical environment that affects regional and international power relations. China has to strike a balance between tackling difficult political and security issues and advancing its economic goals with regional stability and collaboration.
