Rethinking China, the Middle East and Asia in a Multiplex World (Social, Economic and Political Studies of the Middle East and Asia, 128)

"This edited volume critically examines the changing dynamics of multidimensional relations between China, Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and Asia in an emerging "multiplex world". It challenges both extremes of "Sinophobia" and "Sinophilia" by studying the real "pragmatist" China. This book, in fifteen chapters, problematizes what MENA and Asia means to China in the age of neoliberalism, explores what are the real or perceived pillars of Sino-MENA-Asia relations, and sheds light on how MENA can benefit from its relations with China while keeping a clear distance from the harms of neoliberal authoritarianism. Contributors are Mojtaba Mahdavi, Tugrul Keskin, Manochehr Dorraj, Sari Hanafi, Habibul Haque Khondker, Dara Conduit, Rigas Arvanitis, Saeed Shafqat, Jordi Quero, Mahesh Ranjan Debata, Andrea Ghiselli, Mher D. Sahakyan, Michael McCall, Yossra M. Taha and Xiaoyue Li"-- Provided by publisher Half Title Series Information Title Page Copyright Page Contents Foreword: Belt and Road: China’s Opportunities and Challenges Figures and Tables Notes on Contributors Introduction 0.1 Background 0.2 The Structure of the Book References Part 1 China–mena Relations at Large Chapter 1 The Triple Pillar of Sino–mena Relations in the Age of Neoliberalism 1.1 Introduction 1.2 The Chinese ‘Cat Theory’: Beyond Sinophilia and Sinophobia 1.3 Sino–mena Today: A Triple-Pillar Relationship 1.4 Whither the mena Paths of Development? A Civil Society Approach 1.5 Conclusion References Chapter 2 China’s Mental Maps of the Middle East and North Africa: Critical Discourse Analysis of the Contemporary prc Leadership’s Geopolitical Image 2.1 Introduction: Approaching Mental Maps through Critical Discourse Analysis 2.2 Overlapping Geopolitical Cartographies in the prc Leadership’s Mental Maps of the mena Region 2.2.1 Mental Map 1: The ‘Arab countries/states’ 2.2.2 Mental Map 2: The ‘Middle East’ and Its ‘hotspots’ 2.2.3 Mental Map 3: The ‘Eurasian continent’ 2.2.4 Mental Map 4: The ‘developing countries’ Category 2.3 Conclusions References Part 2 The Belt and Road Initiative: Challenges and Opportunities Chapter 3 Is Growing the Iran–China Relationship as Easy as Building a Belt and Road? 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Background 3.3 bri and the Coming of Age of the Iran–China Relationship 3.4 Conclusion References Chapter 4 Belt and Road Initiative: Central Asia, the Middle East, and South Asia 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Two Different Narratives: The Chinese Perspective 4.3 Two Different Narratives: The ‘Other’ Perspective 4.4 Myths and Realities 4.5 Potential Challenges 4.6 Conclusion References Chapter 5 The China–Pakistan Economic Corridor: Building National Consensus, Curbing Terrorism, and Managing Regional Rivalries in Balochistan 5.1 Introduction: The Place of the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor in the Belt and Road Initiative 5.2 Literature on the cpec: Assumptions and Perspectives 5.2.1 The cpec Enthusiasts 5.2.2 The cpec Opponents 5.2.3 The cpec Pragmatists 5.3 Harmonising Provincial Interests and Building National Consensus 5.4 Curbing Terrorism and Strengthening Security 5.5 The Political Economy of Balochistan 5.6 Fostering Regional Cooperation under the Shadow of India–Pakistan Rivalry 5.7 Changing Dynamics of Indo–China Relations and the cpec 5.8 Balochistan: The Emerging Epicentre of Regional Power Rivalry and the Future of the cpec 5.9 Conclusion References Part 3 China’s Soft Power and Hard Power in the mena Region Chapter 6 Confucius in the uae: Chinese Soft Power in the gcc 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Soft Power and Its Growing Reach 6.3 Re-Emergence of China as an Economic Power 6.4 China’s Soft Power 6.5 Chinese Soft Power in the gcc: China and Saudi Arabia 6.6 Knowledge as Soft Power: Asian Studies in the gcc 6.7 China Syndrome 6.8 Limitations of Soft Power in the Twenty-First Century? 6.9 Conclusions References Chapter 7 China–Egypt Relations: Constructing Images and Perceptions in the Belt and Road Initiative 7.1 Introduction 7.2 From International Relations to the Politics of Aesthetics 7.3 The Rising China in the Eyes of Egyptians 7.4 Post-Revolutionary Egypt in the Eyes of Chinese People 7.5 Conclusion References Chapter 8 Smoothing the Waters: Science and Research Collaboration between China and the Arab World 8.1 Introduction 8.2 Rapid Scientific Development in China 8.3 International Collaboration 8.4 Arab–Chinese Research Collaboration 8.5 Conclusion References Chapter 9 China and the mena Region in a Decentred World 9.1 Introduction 9.2 China’s Recognition Game in Sudan and the Gulf of Aden 9.3 Beyond External Validation: The Importance of Libya 9.4 Conclusion References Part 4 Sino-mena Regional Dynamics: Energy and Beyond Chapter 10 Sino–Turkish Relations in the New Era: From Political Conflict to Economic Cooperation 10.1 Introduction 10.2 Turkey as a nato Member and Western Ally 10.3 Influence in the Middle East 10.4 Central Asia 10.5 Xinjiang 10.6 Military Relations 10.7 Economic Cooperation and Growing Trade 10.8 Silk Road Economic Belt 10.9 The Taiwan Dilemma 10.10 Conclusions References Chapter 11 Sino–Egyptian Relations and the New Regional Dynamics of the Middle East 11.1 Introduction 11.2 The Middle East Post-2011: New Dynamics and New Regional Order 11.3 Current Sino‒Egyptian Relations and How They Fit in the New Regional Dynamics of the Middle East 11.4 Sino‒Egyptian Positions on Syria and Relations with Saudi Arabia and Israel 11.5 Conclusions: Where Should the Relations Go? References Chapter 12 China’s Policy on the Iranian Nuclear Issue: Cooperation and Disagreements with Russia and the United States 12.1 Introduction 12.2 China–Iran Nuclear Cooperation 12.3 China’s Cooperation with Russia and Disagreements with the US on Iran’s Nuclear Issue: Iran and the jcpoa 12.4 The US Withdrawal from the jcpoa and Sino–Iranian Relations 12.5 Conclusion References Chapter 13 Chinese Engagement with the mena Region: Exploring Sino–mena Event Data 13.1 Introduction 13.2 Chinese Dependence on Middle Eastern Energy 13.3 Methodology 13.4 Results 13.5 Conclusion References Index This edited volume critically examines the changing dynamics of multidimensional relations between China, Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and Asia in an emerging'multiplex world'. It challenges both extremes of'Sinophobia'and'Sinophilia'by studying the real'pragmatist'China. This book, in a foreword, introduction and thirteen chapters, problematises what MENA and Asia means to China in the age of neoliberalism, explores what are the real or perceived pillars of Sino‒MENA-Asia relations, and sheds light on how MENA can benefit from its relations with China while keeping a clear distance from the harms of neoliberal authoritarianism. Contributors are Mojtaba Mahdavi, Tugrul Keskin, Manochehr Dorraj, Sari Hanafi, Habibul Haque Khondker, Dara Conduit, Rigas Arvanitis, Saeed Shafqat, Jordi Quero Arias, Mahesh Ranjan Debata, Andrea Ghiselli, Mher Sahakyan, Michael McCall, Yossra M. Taha and Xiaoyue Li. The contemporary Sino-MENA-Asia relations and the Belt and Road Initiative are in the making in an emerging 'multiplex world'. This edited volume includes new researches in fifteen chapters, examining Chinas complex relations with Iran, Turkey, Egypt, GCC, Pakistan, central and south Asia.