Xi's Middle East visit coincides with China's Arab policy paper
- By Sumantra Maitra
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E-mail China.org.cn, January 18, 2016
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People view models of high-speed rail system at the China-Arab States Expo 2015 in Yinchuan, capital of northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Sept. 10, 2015. The second China-Arab States Expo, a platform to promote ties between China and the Middle East countries, kicked off on Thursday. [Xinhua/Wang Peng] |
Arab countries are China's 7th largest trade partners and suppliers of oil. The paper also talks about the importance of these deals.
China's importance in the Middle East is also increasing. As Middle Eastern nations find a trust deficit in the traditional great powers, they are looking towards China for economic and military mediation as well. But Chinese interests thus far have been limited to the traditional economic spheres.
It outlines Chinese reluctance to get bogged down in the Middle Eastern security quagmire, while not completely being detached from burden sharing. Chinese support for a peaceful resolve of Israeli and Palestinian statehood has been pointed out, as is the security problem between Iran and Saudi Arabia. In fact, China has recently urged peace between the Saudis and Iran.
China has vowed security and intelligence cooperation as well as more military joint exercises. But the majority of this section highlighted cooperation based on anti-terrorism. The paper states counter terrorism efforts should be long term and highlighted comprehensive efforts to eradicate the root causes as well as structural causes.
It is understandable that terrorism is going to be a main issue for China, with the country recently suffering as its citizen was killed by the Islamic State and with the recent ISIS inspired attack in Indonesia. The overall strategy seemed to hinge on intelligence cooperation and China stated that it respects the choices made by the Arab peoples with regards to their governments, which means China will not interfere in any internal Arab squabbles.
The paper is comprehensive, although not revolutionary in any change that it prescribes. It essentially held up the long term Chinese foreign policy goal of economic development and win-win situations. Perhaps the biggest thing to note is that this is the first time China has actually come out with an Arab policy paper, coinciding with Xi's visit in the region. That itself marks an important phase in Chinese diplomacy and portrays the increasing importance of the Middle East in China's geopolitical and strategic thoughts.
Sumantra Maitra is a columnist with China.org.cn. For more information please visit: http://www.china.org.cn/opinion/SumantraMaitra.htm
Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors only, not necessarily those of China.org.cn.
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