Six Years After the Arab Spring: China’s Foreign Policy in the Middle East and North Africa

Abstract

This chapter analyzes China’s foreign policy in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) six years after the outbreak of the Arab Spring events. Specifically, it investigates China’s policy in response to the ongoing revolutions and the resulting growing threats or benefits to China, through an examination of how the Arab uprisings affected Beijing’s policy and responses in five key areas: economy and trade, social stability, safety of Chinese nationals abroad, terrorism, and strategic rivalry with the USA.