China's policy toward the Middle East is
always discussed on different occasions. Though China has contributed
many efforts to the resolution of major regional conflicts, it seems
that China's role has never been sufficiently recognized. While American
scholars would like to describe China as a free rider, analysts in the
region would regard China as a business seeker. The reasons are actually
very complicated.
The last 15 years have witnessed China
playing a new constructive role in the Middle East within the new
regional context. In September 2002, China appointed Ambassador Wang
Shijie, a senior diplomat, as its first special envoy of Middle Eastern
affairs. Since then, China has regularized its appointments of special
envoys in the region. Until now, China has appointed four Middle East
special envoys. The other three are Ambassador Sun Bigan, Ambassador Wu
Sike and Ambassador Gong Xiaosheng.
In addition to envoys of Middle Eastern
affairs in general, China also appointed special envoys for specific
Middle Eastern issues. For instance, in 2007, 2014 and 2016, China
appointed Ambassador Liu Guijin (& Ambassador Zhong Jianhua),
Ambassador Sun Yuxi and Ambassador Xie Xiaoyan as special envoys
respectively for the Darfur issue, Afghanistan issue and Syrian issue.
The above-mentioned appointments
themselves indicate that China does attach great importance to regional
issues, and does play significant roles in various regional issues
though the effects might be different in different cases. In the
Palestine-Israel conflict, China's role might be modest, but it does
represent strong political support for the peace process. And China's
mediating efforts in the Darfur issue paved the way for the soft landing
of the crisis. China's special envoy on the Afghanistan issue also
played a significant role in promoting relevant dialogue and
reconciliation processes.
What's more, China also contributed to
the Middle East economically as China has become a major economic
partner of the region. China also provided military and security
resources for the region in the form of UN missions.
So, why were China's efforts not
sufficiently recognized? Or to put it another way, why is China's role
not visible enough? The first reason should be the Western media's
selective coverage of China's role in the region. Western media,
particularly those of the United States, play leading roles in shaping
global public opinion and even have strong influence in academic
circles. Though they might be working for peace and stability in the
region, their coverage remains biased.
They would like to cover more about the
actions and behaviors of Western countries rather than those of
non-Western countries, although it is not necessarily all positive. They
have strong interest in covering the military actions of the West in
the region while having little interest in reporting China's soft
presence in the region despite the fact that China's economic
contribution and mediating efforts do contribute to regional stability.
What is even worse is that Western governments unfairly blame China for
its reluctance to participate in military actions.
China's low level of visibility in the
region can also be attributed to its unintentional and intentional low
profile policies. Low profile policies have always been part of China's
political culture. And the most famous motto in this regard should be
the late Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping's warning in the early 1990s that
China should be modest and prudent, keep a low profile and never seek
hegemony.
It has already been a quarter century
since Deng issued this warning, but it is still one of the major
principles guiding China's overall policies, and China's policy toward
the Middle East should be no exception. Though some scholars argue that
China should take a more proactive policy as a result of its power
increase, very few argue that China should give up its low profile
policy in the Middle East.
To keep a low profile might also be
China's policy option under the framework of the new type of relations
among major countries. The new type of relations among major countries
proposed by President Xi Jinping stands for non-confrontation among
major countries at a strategic level, particularly between China and the
United States.
China could be very easily regarded as
an assertive or aggressive player by the United States in the Middle
East if it keeps a high profile, despite the fact that the U.S. would
always like to label China as a free rider. By the way, it is always
difficult to please a leading power. It can easily find trouble with you
whether you keep a low profile or high profile. A high profile can be
regarded as a challenge while a low profile can be blamed for lacking
initiative.
Though China will have to face up with
blame and accusations no matter what it is doing in the region, Beijing
might reasonably regard it as a cheap price to pay to keep a low
profile. A higher price will always be waiting if someone is regarded as
a potential challenge.
All in all, China's low visibility in
the region is actually because of various complicated reasons. However,
despite its low visibility, its contributions should not be neglected
for any reason.
Dr. Jin Liangxiang is a columnist with China.org.cn.
