ABSTRACT
This chapter contends that the place of the Middle East in China’s global strategies is easily explained within the framework of official policy statements. Contentions of hidden agendas are misplaced. While China has a strong interest in promoting closer political, economic, and cultural cooperation with Middle Eastern states, the Middle East does not hold critical strategic priority for China’s external policies. There will continue to be a strong emphasis on non-involvement in the internal affairs of other states, and China will continue to refrain from taking partisan positions in rivalries and conflicts among and between Middle Eastern countries. It will not enter alliance relationships with any Middle Eastern states.
