The strategic dimension of political and economic competition between the European Union and China in the Middle East in the twenty-first century Cover Image

Strategiczny wymiar rywalizacji polityczno-gospodarczej między Unią Europejską a Chinami na obszarze Bliskiego Wschodu w XXI w
The strategic dimension of political and economic competition between the European Union and China in the Middle East in the twenty-first century

Author(s): Anna Diawoł-Sitko
Subject(s): Supranational / Global Economy, EU-Legislation
Published by: Oficyna Wydawnicza KA AFM
Keywords: European Union; China; neighborhood policy; Middle East

Summary/Abstract: Middle East is a natural area of interest, rivalry and cooperation of the most important international players, due to its strategic location at the borders of three continents as well as sources of energy it owns. China’s policy in Middle East has been widely analysed in the recent years and literature of this subject gains newer and newer titles. Context of rivalry in the area relates to U.S.in the majority of studies, especially if comes to period of post-Arab Spring, when internal changes in the region are accompanied with diversification of particular countries’ foreign policy, in favour of closer cooperation with BRICS countries. Position of the EU, the closest neighbour of the ArabWorld, also changes. Europe loses in this region not only if comes to economy but politics as well.Arab countries noticably increase their interest not only in economic cooperation with China, but also Chinese way of development.The aim of the article is to present and evaluate actions of the EU and China in Middle East region within recent years. It is hypotesized that China’s increasing engagement in cooperation withMiddle East countries inevitably leads to political and economical rivalry with the EU, especially if comes to Arabic part of Mediterranean Sea, which is the area where strategic interest of Europe is the most strongly articulated.

  • Issue Year: XII/2015
  • Issue No: 1
  • Page Range: 145-158
  • Page Count: 14
  • Language: Polish