Book chapter

The Geopolitical Implications of China's Presence in the MENA Region

China has taken on a new and significant role in the Middle East. A new publication explores the development, including a chapter by DIIS Senior Researcher Lars Erslev Andersen on Chinas geopolitical role in The Middle East and North Africa

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) has traditionally been rather peripheral to China’s interests. However, since the early 2000s, with fast-growing energy demand in the country and launch of the “global war on terrorism”, the region has increasingly been on Beijing’s radar. With the launch of Belt and Road Initiative in 2013, the speed with which relationship between China and individual MENA countries was tightening accelerated even further.

Against this background, the main of goal of the present study has been to explore this phenomenon. The study is a result of one year work organized by the research network Euromesco and headed by Polish Arabist and Researcher Katarzyna W. Sidlo, while DIIS researcher Lars Erslev Andersen has contributed to the introductory chapter and co-written with researcher Camille Lons a chapter on the geopolitical implications of China’s presence in the Middle East.    

Approaching the topic from socio-political and economic point of view, we examine how the relationship between China and MENA region has changed over time and in what ways it has evolved since the launch of the BRI. At the same time, we try to understand the implications of the increased Chinese presence in the MENA for the countries in the region, but also the European Union and its allies. Finally, whenever possible, we make predictions as to the future development of the China-MENA ties.

The study is composed of four chapters: the first one, offering background and historical context to the study; the second one, examining the economic relationship between China and MENA states; the third one, focusing on Beijing’s political, military, and cultural engagements in the region; and the final, fourth one, exploring the geopolitical implications of China’s presence in MENA.

 

Regions
China

DIIS Experts

Lars Erslev Andersen
Migration and global order
Senior Researcher
+45 91325476
The Geopolitical Implications of China's Presence in the MENA Region
The Role of China in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Beyond Economic Interests? , Barcelona: : IEMed - European Institute of the Mediterranean, 2020