Routledge Handbook on China-Middle East Relations

433 Pages·2021·43.703 MB·English

by  Jonathan Fulton (editor)

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ROUTLEDGE HANDBOOK ON
CHINA–MIDDLE EAST RELATIONS
This handbook brings together a mix of established and emerging international scholars to
provide valuable analytical insights into how China’s growing Middle East presence affects
intra- regional development, trade, security, and diplomacy.
As the largest extra-r egional economic actor in the Middle East, China is the biggest source
of foreign direct investment into the region and the largest trading partner for most Middle
Eastern states. This portends a larger role in political and security affairs, as the value of Chinese
assets combined with a growing expatriate population in the region demands a more pro-
active role in contributing to regional order. Exploring the effect of these developments, the
expert contributors also consider the reverberations in great power politics, as the United
States, Russia, India, Japan, and the European Union also have considerable interests in the
region. The book is divided into four sections:
• Historical and policy context
• State and regional case studies
• Trade and development
• International relations, security, and diplomacy.
This volume is an essential reference for scholars and policy- makers in the fields of international
relations, political sociology, international political economy, and foreign policy analysis. Area
studies specialists in Middle Eastern Studies, China Studies, and East Asian Studies will also find
it an invaluable resource.
Jonathan Fulton is an assistant professor of political science in the College of Humanities and
Social Sciences at Zayed University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates and a senior non-r esi-
dent fellow at the Atlantic Council.
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ROUTLEDGE HANDBOOK ON
CHINA–MIDDLE EAST
RELATIONS
Edited by Jonathan Fulton
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Cover image: © Getty Images
First published 2022
by Routledge
4 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN
and by Routledge
605 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10158
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
© 2022 selection and editorial matter, Jonathan Fulton;
individual chapters, the contributors
The right of Jonathan Fulton to be identified as the author of the editorial material,
and of the authors for their individual chapters, has been asserted in accordance with
sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised
in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or
hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information
storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks,
and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe.
British Library Cataloguing- in- Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
Library of Congress Cataloging- in- Publication Data
Names: Fulton, Jonathan, editor.
Title: The Routledge handbook of China–Middle
East relations / edited by Jonathan Fulton.
Description: Abingdon, Oxon ; New York : Routledge, [2022] |
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2021025628 (print) | LCCN 2021025629 (ebook) |
ISBN 9780367472702 (hardback) | ISBN 9781032126326 (paperback) |
ISBN 9781003034520 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: China–Foreign relations–Middle East. |
Middle East–Foreign relations–China.
Classification: LCC DS63.2.C5 R68 2022 (print) |
LCC DS63.2.C5 (ebook) | DDC 327.51056–dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021025628
LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021025629
ISBN: 978-0-367-47270-2 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-1-032-12632-6 (pbk)
ISBN: 978-1-003-03452-0 (ebk)
DOI: 10.4324/ 9781003034520
Typeset in Bembo
by Newgen Publishing UK
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CONTENTS
List of figures viii
List of tables ix
List of contributors x
PART I
Overview 1
1 China’s emergence as a Middle East power 3
Jonathan Fulton
2 China and the Middle East: An autobiographical perspective 13
Yitzhak Shichor
3 The Middle East in China’s global strategies 29
Tim Niblock
4 China in Middle Eastern strategic thinking 48
Anoushiravan Ehteshami
5 Strategic convergence or strategic rivalry? China and America in the
Middle East 61
Christopher K. Colley
PART II
Relations among regions and states 79
6 China and the Gulf region: From strangers to partners 81
Mohamed Bin Huwaidin
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Contents
7 China and the Levant: Unlike any other world power 93
Yoram Evron
8 China and North Africa: History, economic engagement and soft power 108
Tin Hinane El Kadi
9 China– Egypt relations during the BRI era and beyond 126
Duan Jiuzhou
10 China and Saudi Arabia: From enmity to strategic hedging 137
Naser Al- Tamimi
11 Turkey’s relations with China and the Belt and Road Initiative 155
Altay Atlı
12 China– Iran relations: A low- quality comprehensive strategic partnership 168
Jacopo Scita
13 Israel and China: Past distance, present cooperation, uncertain future 181
Roie Yellinek
14 Frozen in time: China– Algeria relations from socialist friendship to
pandemic opportunism 192
Lina Benabdallah
15 Sino- Omani relations 205
Mohammed Al- Sudairi
PART III
Trade and development 225
16 China’s evolving energy relations with the Middle East 227
Philip Andrews- Speed and Yao Lixia
17 China’s approach to post- conflict reconstruction in the Middle East 245
Samuel Ramani
18 China’s nascent soft power projection in the Middle East and
North Africa: Cultural, educational, and media initiatives 264
Chai Shaojin
19 Technological dimensions of China– MENA economic relations 281
Robert Mogielnicki
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Contents
PART IV
International relations, security, and diplomacy 297
20 China’s partnership diplomacy in the Middle East 299
Degang Sun
21 Chinese private security companies in the Middle East 312
Alessandro Arduino
22 Community- building and social engagement: The overseas Chinese
community in the United Arab Emirates 322
Wang Yuting
23 The China model and the Middle East 338
Mehran Kamrava
24 A tough job: Chinese diplomats in the Middle East and North Africa 355
Andrea Ghiselli
25 China and the Palestinian– Israeli conflict 368
Guy Burton
26 Chinese diplomatic outreach to MENA: Cooperation forums and
special envoys 384
Dawn C. Murphy
Index 396
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FIGURES
5.1 American imports of GCC oil, 1993– 2019 63
5.2 Chinese imports from selected Gulf states, 2007– 2017 64
5.3 Four- week average of US domestic petroleum production, 2000– 2020 64
8.1 Sino- North African trade 114
8.2 Chinese FDI stock and contracts in North Africa 116
10.1 Saudi Arabia’s top trade partners in 2019 148
16.1 Changing regional sources of China’s crude oil imports and total
annual crude oil imports from all sources 229
16.2 Regional sources of China’s imports of natural gas 229
16.3 Changing shares of Middle East oil exports to China 233
24.1 China’s human and economic footprint in the MENA region,
2003– 2018 362
24.2 Putting China’s diplomatic expenses into perspective 363
25.1 Support for two states among Israelis and Palestinians 372
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TABLES
1.1 Top ten MENA partners for Chinese contracting and investments,
2005– 2020 7
2.1 US crude oil imports from the Middle East, 2011– 2020 22
8.1 First Chinese international aid agreements with North African
countries, 1958– 1979 110
10.1 Timeline of contacts between China and Saudi Arabia, 1949– 1990 139
10.2 China crude imports: Selected countries and regions, 2010– 2019
(millions of barrels per day) 143
10.3 Saudi top oil markets: Selected countries, 2010– 2019 143
13.1 Israeli leaders’ official visits to China 185
14.1 Official exchange visits between China and Algeria between
pre- independence and FOCAC 2000 196
16.1 Shares of regional crude oil and natural gas reserves, production,
and export of key Middle East countries, 2019 232
20.1 Hierarchy of China’s partnerships in the Middle East 306
24.1 Comparison of WANA and European diplomatic postings for
Chinese diplomats, 2004– 2017 360
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