Internal structural changes in China-Arab League relations: characteristics, motivations and influences

Abstract

It is a common phenomenon in international relations that the interaction between international actors leads to structural changes, which are often manifested as a positive friendly relationship or an escalation of contradictions or even conflicts among actors. Taking the relations between China and the Arab League as an example, this paper investigates the characteristics and influences of building friendly relations between the two sides. China-Arab relations are undergoing structural changes in the new era, generally reflected as follows: China and Arab countries enhance each other’s position in their overall diplomacy; there is a strategic docking between ‘Looking East’ of the Arab League and China’s ‘Belt and Road Initiative’; China has become the second largest trading partner of the Arab League; China-Arab cooperation has expanded in new frontiers such as high technology; the multilateral cooperation mechanism between China and Arab countries has been increasingly improved, and the strategic positioning of both sides has been constantly promoted. There are both internal and external driving forces to promote the structural upgrading of China-Arab relations. The former includes the economic interdependence between China and the Arab League, the changes in the policy orientation and priorities of the two sides, and the domestic political changes of Arab League countries, while the latter involves the changes in the surrounding situation of both sides, the changes in the international situation and the strategic contraction of the United States from the Middle East. The structural upgrading of China-Arab relations is conducive to the multi-polar development of the Middle East. Nevertheless, the two sides need to take precautions to cope with the changes in power, interests and identity brought about by this structural upgrading.