China's policy on the Middle East

Auf einen Blick 20-10-2016

Four of the five UN Security Council (UNSC) permanent members have, to varying degrees, taken military action in the Syrian civil war. Dissatisfied with the outcome of the UN-mandated military intervention in Libya, China has not, although some of its arms deliveries to the region may have found their way to parties to the conflict. President Xi Jinping's January 2016 visit to the Middle East, in the wake of the easing of UN sanctions against Iran and the release of China's first-ever Arab policy paper, was primarily aimed at anchoring the One Belt, One Road initiative in the region as an alternative strategy focused on economic development, as a means to generate stability.