SPECIAL ISSUE ON
CHINA’S POLICY TOWARD THE MIDDLE EAST INCLUDING IRAN AND TURKEY AND THE MAGHREB FROM ZHOU ENLAI TO THE PRESENT DAY

This Special issue: Vol.49. no. 3. 2024 has now been published and a hard copy can be purchased through our website here or a PDF copy online through Project Muse: JRNLCIRC@jh.edu

Introduction:

In recent years China has staged a comeback in the Middle East and North Africa to the extent that it may economically reduce the United States’ influence in the Middle East and North Africa. Indeed, the United States is worried about the growing number of trade agreements, especially in the Gulf Kingdoms, Algeria and Morocco.

China’s success has been a combination of both skilful diplomacy as well as huge investment throughout the region, from Turkey, Iran, to Algeria and Morocco as well as Africa in general.

The weakness of U.S. regional policy under the Obama administration, followed by the total chaos under Trump and Joe Biden have further contributed to China’s success, particularly during the latest Middle East conflict. Indeed, when it was announced on 10 March 2023 that China had successfully mediated the breakthrough in re-establishing of diplomatic relation between Iran and Saudi Arabia, the US scaremongering diplomacy tactics about Iran and China did not work. The U.S.’ longstanding allies world wide are shifting away from their longstanding ties with the U.S.

Due to this achievement China has emerged as an important player that can resolve disputes. U.S. analysts expressed surprise and say that the U.S. government could not match Chinese diplomatic skills; and to demonstrate for the United States that it can not curb China’s business development either in The Middle East or Africa where China began its investment and trade since the visit of Zhou Enlai from 14 December 1963 to 4 February 1964 to United Arab Republic (now Egypt), Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Ghana, Mali, Guinea, Sudan, Ethiopia and Somalia. China’s business and cultural activities have grown hugely.

We have previously published a special issue: Volume 38, number, 1, 2013, China’s Policy Toward The Maghreb and The Middle East with the following articles:
— Hyunhee Park, The Position of the Maghreb in Traditional Chinese Geographical Knowledge about the Islamic Middle East, pp. 3-20.
— Nevine El-Husseiny, The Chinese Policy Towards Sudan and South Sudan: Drivers, Change and Outcomes, pp. 21-50.
— Sergey F. Sutyrin and Vladimir N. Kovalenko, Trends and Prospects of Economic Cooperation between China and Africa, pp. 51-84.
— Raphael Israeli, The Formative Years of Sino-Israeli Relations, pp.85-96
and in Volume 39, number, 1, 2014, articles on China’s Policy Toward The Maghreb and The Middle East:
— Yehudit Ronen, Libya’s Relations with China: Convergence and Conflict, pp.3-18
— Ho Wai-Yip, China’s Emerging Policy of Soft Power in the Middle East: CCTV Arabic International Channel, pp. 19-30.
— Sahra Joharchi, A Tacit Alliance: The Political Economy of Chinese-Iranian Relations, pp. 31-52.