Over the last twenty years, China has been making increasing investments in the Middle East. In 2001, China’s accumulative exports to the region were below $10bn. Last year they were close to $140bn. Questions remain, however, as to whether Beijing is looking for more than economic activity and, should it wish to become the key diplomatic and military power in the Middle East, how effective they would be in this role.
Many are looking at China’s operations in the Middle East a
