Rethinking China, the Middle East and Asia in a 'Multiplex World

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.

Foreword: Belt and Road: China’s Opportunities and Challenges   
Manochehr Dorraj 

List of Figures and Tables 

Notes on Contributors 

Introduction 
  Mojtaba Mahdavi and Tugrul Keskin 

Part 1 
China–mena Relations at Large 
1. The Triple Pillar of Sino–mena Relations in the Age of Neoliberalism 
  Mojtaba Mahdavi 

2. China’s Mental Maps of the Middle East and North Africa Critical Discourse Analysis of the Contemporary prc Leadership’s Geopolitical Image 
  Jordi Quero Arias 

Part 2 
The Belt and Road Initiative: Challenges and Opportunities 
3. Is Growing the Iran–China Relationship as Easy as Building a Belt and Road? 
  Dara Conduit 

4. Belt and Road Initiative Central Asia, the Middle East, and South Asia 
  Mahesh Ranjan Debata 

5. The China–Pakistan Economic Corridor Building National Consensus, Curbing Terrorism, and Managing Regional Rivalries in Balochistan 
  Saeed Shafqat 

Part 3 
China’s Soft Power and Hard Power in the mena Region 
6.Confucius in the uae Chinese Soft Power in the gcc 
  Habibul Haque Khondker 

7. China–Egypt Relations Constructing Images and Perceptions in the Belt and Road Initiative 
  Xiaoyue Li 

8. Smoothing the Waters Science and Research Collaboration between China and the Arab World 
  Sari Hanafi and Rigas Arvanitis 

9. China and the mena Region in a Decentred World 
  Andrea Ghiselli 

Part 4
Sino-mena Regional Dynamics: Energy and Beyond 
10. Sino–Turkish Relations in the New Era From Political Conflict to Economic Cooperation 
  Michael McCall and Tugrul Keskin 

11. Sino–Egyptian Relations and the New Regional Dynamics of the Middle East 
  Yossra M. Taha 

12. China’s Policy on the Iranian Nuclear Issue Cooperation and Disagreements with Russia and the United States 
  Mher Sahakyan 

13. Chinese Engagement with the mena Region Exploring Sino–mena Event Data 
  Michael McCall 

Index 

This book serves as a significant scholarly endeavour; both as a resource for policy-makers and as an academic textbook for students and professors of Political Science, Sociology, History, Anthropology, International Studies, and Middle East, Asia & Chinese Studies.