China’s New Silk Road Economic Diplomacy in the Middle East: The Case of the UAE

Zeyad Jaffal

China Report, 2025, vol. 61, issue 2, 185-198

Abstract: The present study explores the complex circumstances of China’s New Silk Road Economic Diplomacy (ED) in the Middle East, particularly an emphasis on the United Arab Emirates (UAE). As China is emerging as a global economic giant, the aggressive participation with the region under the New Silk Road plan has drawn considerable attention. By focusing on the UAE, this article provides a thorough examination of the varied methods and implications driving China’s ED. By using qualitative analysis, this study presents the important insights, challenges, benefits, implications and opportunities of China’s ED in the Middle East. The UAE, as a key participant in the region’s economic environment, provides a multifaceted background for comprehending China’s diplomacy. This study highlights the interrelated aspects involving economic collaboration, investments, development of infrastructure, and cultural exchange as key components of China’s New Silk Road project. Furthermore, the study sheds insight into the complex interplay between economic aspirations and geopolitical ambitions, as well as the consequences for the region’s security and international dominance dynamics. This study contributes to a larger recognition of the expanding scope of China’s ED in the Middle East and its profound implications for international order by exploring the situation of the UAE.

Keywords: Belt and Road Initiative (BRI); economic diplomacy (ED); silk route initiatives; China silk route; Middle East; UAE (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:chnrpt:v:61:y:2025:i:2:p:185-198

DOI: 10.1177/00094455251323129

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