China in the MENA Region

Absztrakt

With China’s economy and influence being on the rise, the global status quo is changing. Overcoming past colonialist exploitation, China itself is becoming a colonialist state, as it is more and more apparent in the Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) region. As the United States and other countries lose ground, Chinese investors gain a firm position. China’s new One Belt, One Road (OBOR) initiative, the modern resurgence of the Silk Road, aims to expand China’s overall influence over Eurasia, Oceania, and Africa, replacing the US economically. However, China’s intent is solely economic and relies on stability that is ensured by US troops and UN peacekeepers. The MENA region in particular – consisting of Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, State of Palestine, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen – is of great importance to China, as it holds the world’s largest oil deposit, and is mostly still underdeveloped, giving way to lucrative investment opportunities for China.
As China’s presence and influence in the MENA region is increasing, so does the importance of communication: More and more Chinese learn Arabic and vice versa, and more and more universities offer place for foreign students. Furthermore, attitude and openness towards the Chinese has also started to improve.
Although current Chinese interests remain within the boundaries of economy, further increased presence in the field of peacekeeping and the fight against terrorism in the future is possible, as the stability China’s economic interests rely on are becoming more and more uncertain, one reason being the Chinese domestic economy itself.