The political impacts of Arab spring on China's policies towards the Middle East and North Africa (MENA): Challenges and the new strategies

Research Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the impacts of Arab revolutions on China's policies in the Middle East countries, especially form the political perspective. Although upheavals since 2011 have prompted Beijing to review its posture in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), China had been ramping up its presence in the region since well before the "Arab Spring". As Beijing implemented its ‘going global’ strategy as a recipe for economic growth, China became more commercially and diplomatically engaged to advance its interests in the region. Recent developments such as rising Chinese investments in the Iraqi oil sector and broader efforts to sell more Chinese goods and services to the MENA region have underscored China’s increasing presence in the vast area stretching from Morocco to the Gulf. In turn, with China’s stature in the region growing, some MENA countries are responding by ‘looking East’ for an alternative partner. The increased Chinese footprint gives smaller regional powers an additional partner to their traditional ties with the United States and Europe.

Research Keywords

China, Middle East, Arab Spring, Jasmine protests, Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood (MB), Middle East-North Africa (MENA), The People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF). The People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), the National People’s Congress (NPC).