US-China competition in the Middle East (2010-2022)

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Graduated with IR from Allameh Tabatabai University

2 Associate Professor of International Relations, Allameh Tabataba'i University, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

The Middle East region has always been the scene of conflict between great powers. This conflict has been considered due to the importance of this region from the point of view of energy supply and geopolitical equations for these powers. With the passing of the Cold War and the arrival of the digital age, the arenas of competition between the great powers also underwent a transformation, however, the competition between the great powers, especially the US and China, in this region has received little attention despite its high importance. In order to determine the status of this competition, we had to survey the development process of the region during the period of 2010 to 2022 to find various aspects of this competition. Here, the main question of our research is, to what extent has the competition between US and China been pursued in the Middle East? The hypothesis is that the competition between these two powers in the Middle East region was not limited to one dimension, and for this reason, in order to achieve a more comprehensive view, in this paper, we discussed the three basic dimensions of this competition such as political/ diplomatic, economic and military/ security competition. Our findings indicated the expansion of the fields of competition in all three sectors. Competition in economic dimensions for China and competition in military and security fields were more important for the United States. In this research, a descriptive-analytical method has been used, relying on documentary-library data.

Keywords


Albright, D., Dubowitz, M., Kittrie, O. F., Spector, L., & Yaffe, M. (2013). US Nonproliferation Strategy for the changing Middle East. Institute for Science and International Security, Forthcoming.
Alshammari, H. (2020). Chinese Language in Saudi Arabia: Challenges and Recommendations. English Language Teaching, 13(2), 75-85.
Alterman, J. B. (2009). China’s soft power in the Middle East. chinese soft power and its implications for the united states, Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS), Washington, DC, 63-76.
Altin, H. (2022). A GENUINE BLEND OF STATECRAFTS:China's Smart Power Strategy in the MENA Region. World Affairs, 185(3), 557-586. https://doi.org/10.1177/00438200221107398
Bank, W. (2021). World Integrated Trade Solution (WITS) World Bank.
Barnett, A. D. (2021). The Making of Foreign Policy in China: Structure and Process. Taylor & Francis Group. https://books.google.com/books?id=NU9ozgEACAAJ
Burton, G. (2018). Public opinion in the Middle East toward China. Middle East Institute, 11.
Cabestan, J.-P. (2020). China’s Military Base in Djibouti: A Microcosm of China’s Growing Competition with the United States and New Bipolarity. Journal of Contemporary China, 29(125), 731-747. https://doi.org/10.1080/10670564.2019.1704994
Changhe, S. (2010). Understanding Chinese Diplomatic Transformation: A Multi-Actors’ Perspective. The Hague Journal of Diplomacy, 5(4), 313-329.
Chaziza, M. (2019a). China in the Middle East: Tourism as a Stealth Weapon. Middle East Quarterly
Chaziza, M. (2019b). China’s Economic Diplomacy Approach in the Middle East Conflicts. China Report, 55(1), 24-39. https://doi.org/10.1177/0009445518818210
Chin, G. T. (2016). Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank: Governance Innovation and Prospects. Global Governance, 22(1), 11-25. http://www.jstor.org/stable/44861178
Chow, D. C. (2016). Why China established the Asia infrastructure investment bank. Vand. J. Transnat'l L., 49, 1255
Daheshiar, H., & Pourbagher, M. (2023). U.S.-China Strategic Competition in Build Back Better World and Belt and Road Initiative. International Relations Researches, 13(1), 7-50. doi: 10.22034/irr.2023.354756.2241
.
Dutton, P. A., Kardon, I. B., & Kennedy, C. M. (2020). Djibouti: China's First Overseas Strategic Strongpoint.
Ehteshami, A., & Horesh, N. (2017). China's Presence in the Middle East. Taylor & Francis.
Eminue, O., & Dickson, M. (2013). The United Nations resolutions on Syria: Exploration of motivation from Russia and China. International Affairs and Global Strategy, 10(1), 5-13.
Feng, H., He, K., & Xuetong, Y. (2020). Chinese Scholars and Foreign Policy: Debating International Relations. Taylor & Francis Group. https://books.google.com/books?id=VX6wzQEACAAJ
Friedrichs, J. (2019). Explaining China’s popularity in the Middle East and Africa. Third World Quarterly, 40(9), 1634-1654. https://doi.org/10.1080/01436597.2019.1592670
Hamilton, E. J., & Rathbun, B. C. (2013). Scarce differences: toward a material and systemic foundation for offensive and defensive realism. Security Studies, 22(3), 436-465.
Hao, Y., Wei, C. X. G., & Dittmer, L. (2014). Challenges to Chinese Foreign Policy: Diplomacy, Globalization, and the Next World Power. University Press of Kentucky. https://books.google.com/books?id=2ZQfBgAAQBAJ
Huasheng, Z. (2013). China’s View of and Expectations from the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. Asian Survey, 53(3), 436-460. https://doi.org/10.1525/as.2013.53.3.436
Khoo, N. (2020). China’s Foreign Policy since 1978: Return to Power. Edward Elgar Publishing Limited. https://books.google.com/books?id=XDwIEAAAQBAJ
Liu, M., Su, C., Wang, F., & Huang, L. (2020). Chinese cross-border M&As in the “One Belt One Road” countries: The impact of Confucius Institutes. China Economic Review, 61, 101432. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chieco.2020.101432
Osiewicz, P. (2018). The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI): Implications for Iran-China Relations.
Ren, Z. (2012). The Confucius institutes and China's soft power.
Robbins, M. (2022). Public Views of the U.S.-China Competition in MENA. A. Barometer. https://www.arabbarometer.org/wp-content/uploads/ABVII_US-China_Report-EN.pdf
Sebugwaawo, I. (2022). UAE: Emirati students express pride in learning Chinese language. Khaleej Times. https://www.khaleejtimes.com/education/uae-emirati-students-express-pride-in-learning-chinese-language
Silver, L., Devlin, K., & Huang, C. (2020). Unfavorable views of China reach historic highs in many countries. Pew Research Center, 6.
Sun, D., & Zoubir, Y. (2018). China’s Participation in Conflict Resolution in the Middle East and North Africa: A Case of Quasi-Mediation Diplomacy? Journal of Contemporary China, 27(110), 224-243. https://doi.org/10.1080/10670564.2018.1389019
Sun, D., & Zoubir, Y. H. (2021). Securing China’s ‘Latent Power’: The Dragon’s Anchorage in Djibouti. Journal of Contemporary China, 30(130), 677-692. https://doi.org/10.1080/10670564.2020.1852734
Sutter, R. G. (2020). Chinese Foreign Relations: Power and Policy of an Emerging Global Force. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. https://books.google.com/books?id=TEwCEAAAQBAJ
The United Nation. (2022). Security Council Veto List https://research.un.org/en/docs/sc/quick
Weiss, M. A. (2017). Asian infrastructure investment bank (AIIB). In: Congressional Research Service Washington, DC.
Witte, C. (2022). Tracing China in the Middle East O. R. F. )ORF(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S12fiBHqffc
Xuetong, Y. (2014). From keeping a low profile to striving for achievement. The Chinese Journal of International Politics, 7(2), 153-184.
Yan, X. (2014). From Keeping a Low Profile to Striving for Achievement. The Chinese Journal of International Politics, 7(2), 153-184. https://doi.org/10.1093/cjip/pou027
Yellinek, R., Mann, Y., & Lebel, U. (2020). Chinese Soft-Power in the Arab world – China’s Confucius Institutes as a central tool of influence. Comparative Strategy, 39(6), 517-534. https://doi.org/10.1080/01495933.2020.1826843
Yi, W. (2016). Speech by Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the Opening of the Symposium On International Developments and China's Diplomacy in 2016. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China. https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/mfa_eng/wjb_663304/wjbz_663308/2461_663310/201612/t20161206_468636.html
Yu, H. (2017). Motivation behind China’s ‘One Belt, One Road’ Initiatives and Establishment of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. Journal of Contemporary China, 26(105), 353-368. https://doi.org/10.1080/10670564.2016.1245894
Yu, Z. (2020). China’s Foreign Aid to the Middle East: History and Development. Asian Journal of Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies, 14(2), 301-321. https://doi.org/10.1080/25765949.2020.1760548
Zerba, S. H. (2014). China's Libya Evacuation Operation: a new diplomatic imperative—overseas citizen protection. Journal of Contemporary China, 23(90), 1093-1112. https://doi.org/10.1080/10670564.2014.898900
Zhao, S. (2016). Chinese Foreign Policy: Pragmatism and Strategic Behavior. Taylor & Francis. https://books.google.com/books?id=JS63DAAAQBAJ