Playing The Long Game: The Rise Of China In The Middle East

Chinese presence in the Middle East has increased over the past several years amid concerted efforts by the PRC to cement itself as a global superpower. This thesis will examine China’s economic and geopolitical activities in the Middle East through the lens of three case studies: Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait. These countries are similar in several ways; they are majority Muslim and Arab, they are considered autocratic, and they generally align with each other’s foreign policy. However, each country differs in political structure, topography, natural resources, and key issues affecting their domestic politics. All three countries have enhanced their relationships with China over the past decade, and each country has its own unique objectives it expects to meet through such cooperation. Likewise, China expects to reap its own rewards through these interactions. This thesis will ultimately explore the reasons China has invested so many resources into the Middle East while illustrating the ways in which the PRC’s economic and geopolitical ambitions have become intertwined.