China's changing approach to the Middle East
Global China Hub
•
05-Sep-2024
Please watch this event marking the launch of a new report by nonresident senior fellows Jonathan Fulton and Michael Schuman titled, “From hedging to wedging: China’s changing approach to the Middle East.”
Beijing’s diplomacy on the Gaza crisis has been unusually active, and gradually, the intentions behind China’s intervention have become clear. Beijing is attempting to capitalize on the crisis to promote its own power, not just in the Middle East, but in the broader Global South, where the Palestinian cause is widely popular. China’s response demonstrates a changing approach to the region, one intended to leverage Beijing’s influence to upset American policy and promote its own vision for the international order.
In their new report, Fulton and Schuman characterize this change as a shift from “hedging,” maintaining positive relations with regional actors, to “wedging,” attempting to exploit space between the US and its allies and partners in the region. As a result, China, a country once perceived to be of marginal importance to the Middle East, has now become a major regional actor, but whether a more assertive China will encourage regional stability or instability is yet to be seen.
ORIGINAL AIRDATE: 9/5/24
Up Next in Global China Hub
-
A Global South with Chinese character...
A GLOBAL SOUTH WITH CHINESE CHARACTERISTICS - The Atlantic Council’s Global China Hub is thrilled to host the launch of a new report, “A Global South with Chinese characteristics.” In this report, Nonresident Fellow Niva Yau analyzes Chinese governmental training programs in the Global South impl...
-
An allied approach to de-risking the ...
AN ALLIED APPROACH TO DE-RISKING THE TECH SUPPLY CHAIN - Evolving policy conversations in the US, Europe, and elsewhere regarding risks to critical supply chains underscore mounting concerns about China’s economic activities worldwide. However, there are differing perceptions between public and p...
-
Exploring the outlook for Taiwan unde...
EXPLORING THE OUTLOOK FOR TAIWAN UNDER THE LAI ADMINISTRATION - As President Tsai Ing-wen’s second term comes to an end, Vice President Lai Ching-te is poised to become the 8th president of the Republic of China (Taiwan) on May 20. Shortly after the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)’s victory in...
