Il Mediterraneo allargato e la Cina come “offshore balancer” - The Wider Mediterranean and China as an "Offshore Balancer"

Abstract

As the wider Mediterranean region makes its return to the centre of international politics, China’s role in it is also becoming more prominent. This study argues that China, so far, has adopted a strategy of offshore balancing in order to weaken American influence in that region without, however, making evident attempts to establish its own sphere of influence. China’s balancing act is performed through various diplomatic means and multilateral platforms, especially the UN, to maximize the effectiveness of its strategy while minimizing the risks to China’s political and economic interests in the region. Within a defensive neorealist framework, this argument is based on the analysis of China’s approach to Libya, Syria, and Iran. This study has important implications on how we understand China’s approach to regional crises, and regional and extra-regional actors.