Leading Scholar Argues the Middle East is Pivoting to Regional Cooperation and China

The retreat of the United States is causing a ‘wave of reconciliation’ in the Middle East and reorienting these countries towards China. So says Ding Long, a prominent professor at the Middle East Institute at Shanghai University of International Studies.

Ding argued in an op-ed for the Chinese version of Global Times that the thawing of relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran, or Israel and the United Arab Emirates, points to a wider move towards cooperation largely due to an American retreat from the region.

He feels this shift is causing Middle East nations to look towards China, and that the recent flurry of Chinese Mideast diplomacy reflects a growing regional alignment with Chinese development-led models of peace-making.

Ding Long’s View of the Middle East’s “Tide of Reconciliation”:

  • DEVELOPMENT OVER CONFLICT: “Middle Eastern countries are [becoming] aware that their infighting, provoked by foreign forces such as the United States, makes them pursue so-called security at the expense of development and lose many development opportunities.”
  • BYE-BYE, GEOPOLITICS: “For a long time, the United States and other Western countries have […] coerc[ed] Middle East countries into endless geopolitical conflicts, and development was not on the agenda. The improved relationship between Saudi Arabia and Iran shows that the Middle East countries are trying to get rid of the curse of geopolitical struggle.”
  • HELLO, CHINA: “The collective embrace of China by Middle East countries also reflects the new trend of economy and trade leading Middle East diplomacy, indicating that they have recognized China’s view of “development as the key”, and regard China as an important partner in economic development and transformation.”

Read the full column on the Chinese edition of the Global Times newspaper.

The post Leading Scholar Argues the Middle East is Pivoting to Regional Cooperation and China appeared first on The China Africa Project.



source https://chinaafricaproject.com/2022/03/24/leading-scholar-argues-the-middle-east-is-pivoting-to-regional-cooperation-and-china/

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

China Angry With Japan Over G7 Joint Statement, Labels Accusations as “Hype”

The Chinese government lodged a formal complaint to Japan over the wording of the G7 communiqué published over the weekend.  Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin said on Saturday that China felt it had been “attacked”  and that a number of points raised in the G7’s joint statement amounted to an “interference in its internal affairs.” Get a daily email packed with the latest China-Africa news and analysis. Read exclusive insights on the key trends shaping China-Africa relations. Full access to the News Feed that provides daily updates on Chinese engagement in Africa and throughout the Global South. China, Africa and the Global South... find out what’s happening. Subscribe today for unlimited access. Monthly $19/mo OR Yearly $199/yr (17% Savings) Already a subscriber? Log in Click Here to Learn More source https://chinaglobalsouth.com/2023/05/22/china-angry-with-japan-over-g7-joint-statement-labels-accusations-as-hype/
Read more

The Growing Influence of Chinese Policing in Africa

While joint military exercises between China and countries like South Africa draw controversy, much less attention is being paid to the role of policing in Africa-China relations. A fascinating new paper  by the Africa-China security expert Paul Nantuyla maps the growing influence of Chinese law enforcement in Africa. This includes the normalization of Chinese policing norms via institutional links and training. Get a daily email packed with the latest China-Africa news and analysis. Read exclusive insights on the key trends shaping China-Africa relations. Full access to the News Feed that provides daily updates on Chinese engagement in Africa and throughout the Global South. China, Africa and the Global South... find out what’s happening. Subscribe today for unlimited access. Monthly $19/mo OR Yearly $199/yr (17% Savings) Already a subscriber? Log in Click Here to Learn More source https://chinaglobalsouth.com/2023/05/23/the-growing-influence-of-chine
Read more

Papua New Guinea, Micronesia to Sign Agreement With U.S. as Pacific Island Countries Increasingly Take Sides in Great Power Rivalry

Pacific Island Countries (PIC) are the current focal point in the escalating competition for influence between the United States and China around the world. Both Papua New Guinea (PNG) and Micronesia signed defense agreements with the United States on Monday  during a brief visit by Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Get a daily email packed with the latest China-Africa news and analysis. Read exclusive insights on the key trends shaping China-Africa relations. Full access to the News Feed that provides daily updates on Chinese engagement in Africa and throughout the Global South. China, Africa and the Global South... find out what’s happening. Subscribe today for unlimited access. Monthly $19/mo OR Yearly $199/yr (17% Savings) Already a subscriber? Log in Click Here to Learn More source https://chinaglobalsouth.com/2023/05/22/papua-new-guinea-micronesia-to-sign-agreement-with-u-s-as-pacific-island-countries-increasingly-take-sides-in-great-power-rival
Read more