Introduction China’s evolving role in the Middle EastĬhina has become an increasingly significant player in the Middle East in the past decade.
Europeans should increase their engagement with China in the Middle East, aiming to refocus its economic role on constructive initiatives. Europeans should monitor China’s growing influence on regional stability and political dynamics, especially in relation to sensitive issues such as surveillance technology and arms sales. Yet the country’s growing economic presence is likely to pull it into wider engagement with the region in ways that could significantly affect European interests. China still has a limited appetite for challenging the US-led security architecture in the Middle East or playing a significant role in regional politics. China has significantly increased its economic, political, and – to a lesser extent – security footprint in the Middle East in the past decade, becoming the biggest trade partner and external investor for many countries in the region.