The Georgetown Washington University, Elliott School of International Affairs

eChina in the Middle East and North Africa

Course Organizer: Dr. Robert Mogielnicki
Timing: Fall 2022, 5:10pm-7:00pm
Classroom Location: Monroe Hall 115
Credits: 3.000
Availability & Office Hours: By appointment from 3pm-5pm on Thursdays in my AGSIW
office of over Zoom. Please arrange alternative meetings ahead of time.
Off Campus Office Location: 1050 Connecticut Ave. NW – Suite 1060
Mobile Contact: +1 443 990 2280
Email: mogielnicki.robert@email.gwu.edu

Course Description

China is an increasingly influential actor across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA)
region. This course examines the pillars of Sino-MENA engagement and explores the
economic, political, and sociocultural implications of growing Chinese involvement in the
region. Students must consider these implications across various levels: government-to-
government, firm-to-firm, and people-to-people. The course proceeds along thematic
modules consisting of two weekly classes. Modules include regional and country case
studies, while classes focus on readings addressing key topics impacting Sino-MENA
relations. This course structure enables students to situate major themes and concepts
within specific geographic and institutional contexts. In their associated assignments,
students are encouraged to delve deeper into how a particular theme applies to a given
country case study or examine how a particular topic/issue has unfolded in a Middle
Eastern country of their preference. Students must submit a longer comparative analysis
incorporating two or more country case studies as part of the review section at the end of
the course. Beyond providing a scholarly foundation for better understanding Sino-MENA
relations, the course offers students the opportunity to engage directly with academics and
policymakers involved in this expanding and important field of study.

Course Objectives

1. Introduce students to the key theme, topics, and scholars needed to gain a broad
understanding of China’s multilayered involvement in the Middle East, while also
providing ample opportunities for students to develop deeper knowledge of specific
interest areas.
2. Enable students to utilize diverse source materials – including but not limited to
recent academic scholarship, media articles, research publications, data from
regional and international statistic centers, government press releases, and other
primary source documents – in order to demonstrate the advantages and limitations
of various sources.

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3. Develop students’ analytical and public speaking skills through shorter analytical
essays and writing assignments, skills-focused workshops revolving around current
events and guest lectures, and a longer research paper to be submitted by the end of
the course.

Assignments & Grading

ATTENDANCE & PARTICIPATION (15%)

Students are responsible for attending every course meeting and actively participating in
course discussions. Students may miss one class or be tardy once (arriving after the class
has started) before being penalized on their final grade. After the first absence or late
arrival, each subsequent instance will lower a student’s grade by one point level (B+ to B,
for example). Please get in touch with the instructor well ahead of time to flag any
reasonable and unavoidable conflicts. Except for extreme emergencies, last-minute
requests for exemptions will not be accepted.

This class is a discussion seminar. Active, informed, thoughtful and constructive class
participation is a part of the assessment criteria for the course. Students are expected to
come to class fully prepared to engage in a critical analysis of the assigned readings.
Students should not provide overviews of the readings but instead be prepared to
demonstrate mastery of the readings, identify linkages, and bring new ideas and materials
into play.

WEEKLY REFLECTIONS (25%)

Students must submit approximately five reflections on the readings. Students will be
divided into two groups with each group alternating weekly between submitting
reflections and questions based on the readings to be considered for class discussions.
There is no need to submit these reflections on the first class, final class, and weeks
wherein there are shorter essays due. Each reflection should be posted to Blackboard on
the Wednesday evening before class (EST). There is no strict word limit, but the reflections
should be 300-500 words in length. Like class participation, reflection submissions are not
an opportunity to provide an overview of the readings. Students can, for example, explore
more deeply a specific area of interest, identify linkages between various reading materials,
or assess arguments advanced by the authors.

Each student must deliver a short presentation (3-5 minutes) covering a key insight from
one of their weekly reflections at one point during the semester. Only one presentation is
permitted each class, so students must agree on the order of presentation slots prior to our
Week 2 meeting. The primary goal of the exercise is to enhance public speaking and
presentation skills, though students are expected to present a coherent and concise
argument incorporating ideas and materials from one or more of the readings.

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SHORT ESSAY (25%)

Students must submit one short analytical essay of roughly 1,200-1,500 words that
explores key themes and areas of geographic focus from our weekly assignments. More
details about the assignment can be found within the class schedule. If students would like
to address an alternative essay prompt, then they must ask for the professor’s permission
well in advance of the due date. Students are not required to submit Blackboard reading
reflections for the weeks with the short essay assignment.

Short Essay: Due Week 7 (Oct. 13)

LONGER COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS (35%)

The final assignment of this course entails a concise comparative research paper of ~3,000
words, which must be submitted at the end of the semester. More details can be found at
the end of the class schedule.

GRADING SCALE

Excellent Good Needs Low Pass Fail

Improvement
A 96%-100% B+ 87%-89% B- 80%-83% C 74%-76% F Under 70%
A- 90%-95% B 84%-86% C+ 77%-79% C- 70%-73%  
 
WORKLOAD EXPECTATIONS

In this 3 credit graduate course students are expected to work for 450 minutes per week
(this includes 100 minutes of time spent in class per week); totaling approximately 112.5
hours of work over the duration of this 15-week semester.

READINGS & CORE MATERIALS (Not available online)

Students are not expected to read all of the readings in a given week. The instructor expects
that students will read approximately 100 pages (~3-4 chapters or journal articles worth)
of reading each week, with a focus on materials that are of greatest interest and relevance
to the student. If there is a "Focus" section (such as on Israel/Palestine or North Africa),
then students should plan to read at least one of the associated readings. There will be no
counting of pages read, but the instructor will assume that students attend class prepared
to speak about those readings they opted to focus on as well as engage with other students'
insights from their reading selections. 

To the best of my knowledge, the below books are not available online through the GU
library service. Students are not required to purchase these books. I will endeavor to

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upload specific sections of these books to Blackboard, according to copyright conventions

and pending availability of the physical copies. It is possible that the library may order
copies of these books following my request, but it is hard to know when these materials
may become available. I encourage students to collaborate and share books when/where
possible. All of the other readings should be available online or will be uploaded on
Blackboard. Students should feel free to buy these books, especially the handbook by
Jonathan Fulton, as a future reference source.

Ehteshami, Anoushiravan and Niv Horesh, eds. China’s Presence in the Middle East: The
Implications of the One Belt, One Road Initiative (London: Routledge, 2017).

Frankel, James. Islam in China (London: I.B. Taurus / Bloomsbury, 2021). Link

Fulton, Jonathan, ed. Routledge Handbook of China-Middle East Relations (Routledge, 2022).

Ghafar, Adel Abdel, ed. China and North Africa: Between Economics, Politics and Security (I.B.
Taurus / Bloomsbury, 2021). https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/china-and-north-
africa-9780755641833/.

Policies & Considerations

RESPECT

This seminar will be an environment to exchange ideas in a respectful and polite manner.
Constructive dialogue entails respecting differences of opinion and conducting yourself
with integrity during discussions and debates. This will ensure that our seminar remains
an open space for diverse views and opinions. Coming to the class prepared to contribute
to the discussion as an informed participant is crucial for fostering this open and non-
hostile environment.

ATTENDANCE

Any student who is unable to attend classes or to participate in any examination,

presentation, or assignment on a given day because of the observance of a major religious
holiday or related travel shall be excused and provided with the opportunity to make up,
without unreasonable burden, any work that has been missed for this reason and shall not
in any other way be penalized for the absence or rescheduled work. For all other cases,
please see the attendance and participation section above.

INSTRUCTIONAL CONTINUITY

In the event of a weather emergency, I will decide how best to maintain instructional
continuity based on the weather event or other form of disruption. We may gather via
Zoom, discuss ideas through the chat function on Blackboard, or agree on some alternative
form of gathering.

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COMPUTERS/PHONES

I am inclined to ask students to forego the use of their phones in the classroom, and I would
ask that students keep use of their computers to an absolute minimum. This will allow
students to tune out many of the daily distractions that we have become accustomed to and
tune in to the lectures, discussions, and workshops held during our weekly seminars. There
may be certain instances wherein the instructor asks students to bring in computers for in-
class exercises or presentations. In my past experience, students who come to class
prepared for in-depth discussions without the need for their computers tend to receive the
highest participation marks.

PLAGIARISM

Plagiarism (defined as the unacknowledged usage of another person’s ideas or writings)

will be dealt with severely. To avoid accusations of plagiarism, you should familiarize
yourself with the norms of academic referencing. You are not able to recycle or reuse
material from another class without express permission ahead of time. Even if it is your
work, it can be considered plagiarism. Paraphrasing another author’s work and then citing
the citation used in the secondary text is also not an accepted form of scholarly output.

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

The University wishes to remind students of the GW Code of Academic Integrity, which
states: “Academic dishonesty is defined as cheating of any kind, including misrepresenting
one's own work, taking credit for the work of others without crediting them and without
appropriate authorization, and the fabrication of information.” For the remainder of the
code, see: http://www.gwu.edu/~ntegrity/code.html

RELIGIOUS HOLIDAYS

Students must notify faculty during the first week of the semester in which they are
enrolled in the course, or as early as possible, but no later than three weeks prior to the
absence, of their intention to be absent from class on their day(s) of religious observance. If
the holiday falls within the first three weeks of class, the student must inform faculty in the
first week of the semester. For details and policy, see “Religious Holidays” at
provost.gwu.edu/policies-procedures-and-guidelines.

ACADEMIC COMMONS

Academic Commons provides tutoring and other academic support resources to students in
many courses. Students can schedule virtual one-on-one appointments or attend virtual
drop-in sessions. Students may schedule an appointment, review the tutoring schedule,
access other academic support resources, or obtain assistance
at academiccommons.gwu.edu.

DISABILITY SUPPORT SERVICES (DSS)

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Any student who may need an accommodation based on the potential impact of a disability
should contact the Disability Support Services office at 202-994-8250 in the Marvin Center,
Suite 242, to establish eligibility and to coordinate reasonable accommodations. Any
student with three final examinations within a twenty-four hour period is entitled to take
an alternate exam at a mutually-agreed time and place. For additional information please
refer to: http://gwired.gwu.edu/dss/

COUNSELING AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES: 202-994-5300

GW’s Colonial Health Center offers counseling and psychological services, supporting
mental health and personal development by collaborating directly with students to
overcome challenges and difficulties that may interfere with academic, emotional, and
personal success. healthcenter.gwu.edu/counseling-and-psychological-services.

SAFETY & SECURITY

 Monitor GW Alerts and Campus Advisories to Stay Informed before and during an

emergency event or situation
 In an emergency: call GWPD/EMeRG 202-994-6111 or 911
 For situation-specific actions: refer to GW's Emergency Response
Handbook and Emergency Operations Plan
 In the event of an armed Intruder: Run. Hide. Fight.

WEEKLY CLASS SCHEDULE

Week 1 (Sept 1) – Introduction: Why China? Why the Middle East? How do we move
forward?
 Meet & greet
 Classroom rules and expectations
 The syllabus and class objectives
 Open discussion about goals for semester

Module A: Historical Perspectives of Engagement

Week 2 (Sept 8) – Foundations & Framing

Olimat, Muhamad. China and the Middle East: From Silk Road to Arab Spring (Abingdon:
Routledge, 2013). Read Chapters 1-2 (pp. 6-65); the remaining chapters are optional
but may be useful for future modules with country case studies. **Available as E-
book**

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Rynhold, Jonathan. “Review Article: China and the Middle East….” China Report | Sage
Journals. Vol. 34, Iss. 3-4 (1988): pp. 457-462. https://journals-sagepub-
com.proxy.library.georgetown.edu/doi/abs/10.1177/000944559803400312.

Scobell, Andrew. “Why the Middle East Matters.” In Ehteshami, Anoushiravan and Niv
Horesh, eds. China’s Presence in the Middle East: The Implications of the One Belt, One
Road Initiative (London: Routledge, 2017).

Shichor, Yitzhak. “China and the Middle East Since Tiananmen.” The Annals of the American
Academy of Political and Social Science. 519:1 (1992): pp. 86-100.

Sun, Degang. “Six Decades of Chinese Middle East Studies: A Review.” Bustan: The Middle
East Book Review 2 (2011): pp. 15-32. **A useful piece for background and context,
especially for works by Chinese scholars**

Optional Reading

Behbehani, Hashim S. H. China's foreign policy in the Arab world, 1955-75 : three case studies
(London: Kegan Paul International, 1981).

Burton, Guy. China and Middle East Conflicts: Responding to War and Rivalry from the Cold
War to the Present (Routledge, 2020). https://www.routledge.com/China-and-
Middle-East-Conflicts-Responding-to-War-and-Rivalry-from-the/Burton/p/book/
9780367438241

Harris, Lillian Craig. “Myth and Reality in China’s Relations with the Middle East.” In
Robinson, Thomas, and David Shambaugh, eds. Chinese Foreign Policy: Theory and
Practice (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1994). Chapter 12.

Shichor, Yitzhak. The Middle East in China's foreign policy, 1949-1977 (Cambridge:

Cambridge University Press, 1979).

Week 3 (Sept 15) – Renewed Relations with MENA states

“China’s Arab Policy Paper.” Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China.
January 2016. https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/mfa_eng/zxxx_662805/t1331683.shtml.

Fraihat, Ibrahim. “China and the Middle East after the Arab Spring: From Status-Quo
Observing to Proactive Engagement.” Asian Journal of Middle Eastern Islamic Studies.
Volume 13, Issue 1 (2019): 1-17.
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/25765949.2019.1586177.

Peerenboom, Randall. “China and the Revolutions in the Middle East and North Africa.”
Middle East law and governance, Vol. 3, 1-2 (2011): pp. 192-203.

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Focus on the Gulf Arab States

Fulton, Jonathan. China’s Relations with the Gulf Monarchies (Routledge, 2020). Chapters 1-
3 (pp. 1-71). https://www.routledge.com/Chinas-Relations-with-the-Gulf-
Monarchies/Fulton/p/book/9780367587376. **Available online**

Optional Reading

Bin Huwaidin, Mohamed. China’s relations with Arabia and the Gulf: 1949-1999 (London:
RoutledgeCurzon, 2002). Part III, which consists of Chapters 4-6. **Available
online**

Kemp, Geoffrey. The East Moves West: India, China and Asia’s Growing Presence in the
Middle East (Washington, DC: Brookings Institution Press, 2012). Chapter 4/pp. 64-
102. E-book available online. **For a more conservative take on China’s role in the
Middle East**

Lons, Camille, Jonathan Fulton, Degang Sun, Naser Al-Tamimi. China’s great game in the
Middle East (European Council on Foreign Relations, 2019).
https://ecfr.eu/publication/china_great_game_middle_east/.

In-Class Workshop: China in Afghanistan

Please read the two articles below concerning China expanding its influence in Afghanistan
following the U.S. withdrawal: 
 China Can't Profit From Afghanistan's Chaos (foreignpolicy.com)  (Links to an
external site.)

 China’s Tang Dynasty and Afghanistan, the Graveyard of Empires – The

Diplomat (Links to an external site.)

 For a taste of John Bolton's views on this matter, here is his take (Links to an

external site.) for the WSJ.
For our in-class discussion: What argument is more compelling? Are there any historical
experiences that we can draw upon to support or discredit any of these views? **No need
to read these in-depth before class. Just come to class ready to review the readings on your
computer**

Module B: Energy, Trade, and Investment

Week 4 (Sept 22) – Hydrocarbons at the Heart of Relations?

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Ahmed, Gafar K. “In Search of a Strategic Partnership: China-Qatar Energy Cooperation,

From 1988 to 2015.” Chapter 9. In Niblock, Tim, Degang Sun and Alejandra Galindo,
eds. The Arab States of the Gulf and BRICS (Berlin: Gerlach Press, 2016). **Book
available online**

Mogielnicki, Robert. “Evolving Chinese Demand for Gulf Oil and Gas.” Arab Gulf States
Institute in Washington. July 20, 2022. AGSIW | Evolving Chinese Demand for Gulf Oil
and Gas.

Olimat, Muhamad. “The Political Economy of the Sino-Middle Eastern Relations.” Chinese
Journal of Political Science. 15:3 (2010): pp. 307-335.

Sim, Li-Chen. “The Oil Price War of 2020: Winners, Losers and Ways Forward.” Belfer
Center for Science and International Affairs. March 25, 2020.
https://www.russiamatters.org/analysis/oil-price-war-2020-winners-losers-and-
ways-forward.

Focus on Iran

Garver, John W. China and Iran: ancient partners in a post-imperial world (Seattle:
University of Washington Press, 2006). **This can be found online. Please read
Chapter 9 on the energy-economic relationship**

Green, Will and Taylore Roth. China-Iran Relations: A Limited but Enduring Strategic
Partnership (Washington, DC: U.S.-China Economic and Security Review
Commission, 2021). https://www.uscc.gov/research/china-iran-relations-limited-
enduring-strategic-partnership

Optional Reading

Galkin, Philipp, Dongmei Chen and Junyuang Ke. China’s Energy Investment Through the
Lens of the Belt and Road Initiative (Riyadh: King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and
Research Center, 2019). https://www.kapsarc.org/research/publications/chinas-
energy-investment-through-the-lens-of-the-belt-and-road-initiative/.

Wei, Lim Tai. Oil in China: From Self-Reliance to Internationalization (Singapore: World
Scientific, 2010). **This book provides a good historical overview of China’s oil
industry.**

Week 5 (Sept 29) – Trade and Investment Flows

Ho, Wai-Yip. Islam and China’s Hong Kong: Ethnic identities, Muslim Networks, and the New
Silk Road (Abingdon, Routledge: 2013). **Please read Chapter 6 on Islamic finance
in Hong Kong**

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Mogielnicki, Robert. A Political Economy of Free Zones in Gulf Arab States (Palgrave
Macmillan, 2021). Chapter 7.
https://www.palgrave.com/gp/book/9783030712730. **Instructor to provide
copy of chapter on Blackboard**

Mogielnicki, Robert. “How China is quietly expanding its economic influence in the Gulf.”
World Politics Review. July 21, 2020.
https://www.worldpoliticsreview.com/articles/28924/how-china-is-quietly-
expanding-its-economic-influence-in-the-gulf. **Instructor to provide copy of
article**

Simpfendorfer, Ben. The New Silk Road: How A Rising Arab World is Turning Away from the
West and Rediscovering China (London: Palgrave Macmillan, 2011). Chapter 3 on
“The Arab Wealth Funds and the Rise of an “Islamic Corridor,” (pp. 51-75).
https://www.palgrave.com/gp/book/9780230580268#reviews.

Sun, Degang and Yahia Zoubir. “China’s Economic Diplomacy towards the Arab Countries:
challenges ahead?” Journal of Contemporary China. Vol 24, No. 95 (2015): pp. 903-
921.

Optional Reading

Chen, Dongmei and Wenke Han. Deepening Cooperation Between Saudi Arabia and China
(Riyadh: King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center, 2019).
https://www.kapsarc.org/research/publications/deepening-cooperation-between-
saudi-arabia-and-china/.

Pigato, Miria. Strengthening China’s and India’s trade and investment ties to the Middle East
and North Africa (Washington DC: The World Bank, 2009).

Young, Karen. The Gulf’s eastward turn: The logic of Gulf-China Economic Ties (Washington
DC: AEI, 2019). https://www.aei.org/research-products/report/the-gulfs-
eastward-turn-the-logic-of-gulf-china-economic-ties/.

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In-class Workshop: Analyzing Sino-MENA Trade and Investment Flows
 Visit the Observatory of Economic Complexity website (https://oec.world/en) and
explore the origins of key Chinese imports from the MENA region.
 Visit AEI’s China Global Investment Tracker (https://www.aei.org/china-global-
investment-tracker/) and explore the different dimensions of Chinese investments
 What insights can you glean from exploring various trade flows? Do greater levels of
hydrocarbon exports to China result in reciprocal Chinese investments in oil- and
gas-producing countries of the MENA region?

**Please familiarize yourself with these data platforms and come to class with some initial
ideas to contribute to your group**

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Module C: Global Development Initiatives

Week 6 (Oct 6) – One Belt, One Road

Ehteshami, Anoushiravan and Niv Horesh, eds. China’s Presence in the Middle East: The
Implications of the One Belt, One Road Initiative (London: Routledge, 2017).
https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/edit/10.4324/9781315185736/china-
presence-middle-east-anoushiravan-ehteshami-niv-horesh?refId=d738f7d9-d666-
4f4f-a4e2-9dcb8fc9a558. **Please read Chapter 2 (pp. 24-37) and Chapter 11 (pp.
193-209)**

Hillman, Jonathan. The Emperor’s New Road: China and the Project of The Century (New
Haven: Yale University Press, 2020). **Read Chapters 1-2 (pp. 1-36) and 7 (pp. 125-
149)**

Jiuzhou, Duan. “China-Egypt relations during the BRI era and beyond.” In Fulton, Jonathan,
ed. Routledge Handbook of China-Middle East Relations (Routledge, 2022).

Kamel, Maha. “China’s Belt and Road Initiative: Implications for the Middle East.”
Cambridge Review of International Affairs. Volume 31, Issue 1 (2018): 76-95.
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09557571.2018.1480592?
src=recsys.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China.
“Full Text: Vision and actions on jointly building Belt and Road.” Xinhua. April 10,
2017. http://2017.beltandroadforum.org/english/n100/2017/0410/c22-45.html.

Qian, Xuming and Jonathan Fulton. “China-Gulf Economic Relationship under the “Belt and
Road” Initiative.” Asian Journal of Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies. 11:3 (2017):
12-21. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/25765949.2017.12023306.

Optional Reading

Brookings Doha Center. Belt and Road Initiative: China-Middle East Cooperation in an Age of
Geopolitical Turbulence (Doha: Brookings Workshop Report, 2019).
https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/China-Proceedings-
2_English_Web.pdf **A good resource for identifying Middle Eastern and Chinese
scholars actively working in this space**

Fulton, Jonathan, ed. Regions in the Belt and Road Initiative (Routledge, 2020). Link. **This
edited volume is expensive. The instructor will try to arrange for a copy to be
reserved at the library**

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Week 7 (Oct 13) – The Digital Silk Road and Technology-based Collaboration

[Watch] Episode 5 of the China-MENA Podcast on Chinese tech in North Africa. China-
MENA Podcast - Atlantic Council.

Calabrese, John. “The Huawei Wars and the 5G Revolution in the Gulf.” The Middle East
Institute. July 30, 2019. https://www.mei.edu/publications/huawei-wars-and-5g-
revolution-gulf.

Efron, Shira, Karen Schwindt, and Emily Haskel. Chinese Investment in Israeli Technology
and Infrastructure: Security Implications for Israel and the United States (Washington
DC: RAND, 2020). https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR3176.html.

Hillman, Jonathan. “Competing with China’s Digital Silk Road.” CSIS. February 9, 2021.
https://www.csis.org/analysis/competing-chinas-digital-silk-road.

Mogielnicki, Robert. “China could be the big winner of Saudi Arabia’s push to become a tech
hub,” Foreign Policy. October 2019. https://foreignpolicy.com/2019/10/08/saudi-
arabia-racing-high-tech-hub-china-is-ready-to-join-in/.

Mogielnicki, Robert. “Technological Dimensions of China-MENA Economic Relations.” In

The Routledge Handbook of China-MENA Relations (Routledge, 2022). **The
instructor will make the chapter from this handbook available**

Zinser, Sophie. “China’s Digital Silk Road Grows With 5G in the Middle East.” The Diplomat.
December 15, 2020. https://thediplomat.com/2020/12/chinas-digital-silk-road-
grows-with-5g-in-the-middle-east/#:~:text=Huawei%20and%20other%20Chinese
%20firms,despite%20the%20United%20States'%20efforts.

Short Essay Assignment Due

Please write and submit a short (~1,200-1,500 word) analytical essay examining how one
facet of the Belt and Road Initiative or Digital Silk Road has unfolded (or not) in a Middle
Eastern country of interest. For example, an essay might explore Chinese investment
pledges in Omani special economic zones, such as the one in Duqm. Some questions to
consider include:
 What specific forms of Chinese engagement can you observe?
 Is the BRI/DSR a useful analytical concept for understanding the manner of Sino-
MENA engagement under investigation?
 How might these dynamics change over the coming years?

Module D: The Politics of Collaboration

Week 8 (Oct 20) – Ports, Logistics, Development Finance, and Debt Diplomacy

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Burton, Guy, Nicholas Lyall, and Logan Pauley. “China and the Reconstruction of Syria.” The
Middle East Journal. Vol. 75, Iss. 1 (Spring 2021): 55-75.

Burton, Guy, Nick Lyall and Logan Pauley. “The Limits on China’s Role in Syria.” The
Diplomat. June 3, 2021. https://thediplomat.com/2021/06/the-limits-on-chinas-
role-in-syria/.

Fulton, Jonathan. “Domestic Politics as Fuel for China’s Maritime Silk Road Initiative: The
Case of the Gulf Monarchies.” Journal of Contemporary China. (2019): 1-16.

Hsu, Sara. “Viability of Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank’s financials and objectives.” In
Ehteshami, Anoushiravan and Niv Horesh, eds. China’s Presence in the Middle East:
The Implications of the One Belt, One Road Initiative (London: Routledge, 2017).
**Instructor to upload chapter**

Rhode, Grant. “China’s Emergence as a Power in the Mediterranean: Port Diplomacy and
Active Engagement.” Diplomacy and Statecraft, Vol. 32, Iss. 2, (2021): 394-415.

Focus on “Debt-trap Diplomacy”

Brautigam, Deborah and Meg Rithmire. “The Chinese ‘Dept Trap’ Is a Myth.” The Atlantic.
February 6, 2021.
https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2021/02/china-debt-trap-
diplomacy/617953/.

[Watch and read] Jones, Lee and Shahar Hameiri. Debunking the Myth of ‘Debt-trap
Diplomacy’: How Recipient Countries Shape Chinas Belt and Road Initiative (Chatham
House, 2020) https://www.chathamhouse.org/2020/08/debunking-myth-debt-
trap-diplomacy.

Potential Guest Lecture: China’s Role in Middle East Conflicts

 Jon Alterman Dr. Jon B. Alterman, Senior Vice President, Zbigniew Brzezinski Chair
in Global Security and Geostrategy and Director, Middle East Program

Week 9 (Oct 27) – Buying Security, Promoting Good Governance?

[Listen] BingBing, Wu and Paul Haenle. “China’s Role in the Middle East (Part I).” Carnegie-
Tsinghua Center for Global Policy. Podcast. November 10, 2014.
https://carnegietsinghua.org/2014/11/10/china-s-role-in-middle-east-part-i-pub-
57181

Ding, Jun and Hongjin Cheng. “China’s Proposition to Build a Community of Shared Future
For Mankind and the Middle East Governance.” Asian Journal of Middle Eastern and

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Islamic Studies. Vol. 11, Iss. 4 (2017): pp. 1-14. **A curious take on China’s role in
MENA governance. What do you notice about the citations?**

Kumaraswamy, P.R. “Israel-China Relations and the Phalcon Controversy.” Middle East
Policy. Vol.12, Iss. 2 (Summer 2005): pp. 93-102.

Owen, R. P. “The Rebellion in Dhofar – A Threat to Western Interests in the Gulf.” The World
Today | Royal Institute of International Affairs. 29:6 (1973): pp. 266-272.

Sun, Degang and Yahia Zoubir. “China’s Participation in Conflict Resolution in the Middle
East and North Africa: A Case of Quasi-Mediation Diplomacy?” Journal of
Contemporary China. Vol 27, No. 110 (2018): pp. 224-243.

Focus on North Africa

Ghafar, Adel Abdel, ed. China and North Africa: Between Economics, Politics and Security (I.B.
Taurus / Bloomsbury, 2021). https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/china-and-north-
africa-9780755641833/. **Readings TBA, and it will be uploaded on Blackboard**

Benabdallah, Lina. “Frozen in time: China-Algeria relations from socialist friendship to

pandemic opportunism.” In Fulton, Jonathan, ed. Routledge Handbook of China-
Middle East Relations (Routledge, 2022).

Optional Reading

Ghafar, Adel Abdel and Anna Jacobs. China in the Mediterranean: Implications of Expanding
Sino-North African Relations (Doha: Brookings Doha Center, 2020).
https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/FP_20200720_china_m
editerranean_ghafar_jacobs.pdf

Potential Guest Lecture: China-Tunisia Relations

 Sarah Yerkes is a senior fellow in Carnegie’s Middle East Program, where her
research focuses on Tunisia’s political, economic, and security developments as well
as state-society relations in the Middle East and North Africa. 

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Module E: Foreign Policy Considerations

Week 10 (Nov 3) – Regional Alliances, Strategic Agreements

Fulton, Jonathan. China’s Changing Role in the Middle East (Washington DC: Atlantic
Council, 2019).
https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Chinas_Changing_
Role_in_the_Middle_East.pdf.

Mansour, Imad. “A GCC-China Security “Strategic Partnership”: Its Potentials and Contours.”
In Niblock, Tim, Degang Sun and Alejandra Galindo, eds. The Arab States of the Gulf
and BRICS (Berlin: Gerlach Press, 2016). Chapter 10. **Book available online**

Sim, Li-Chen and Jonathan Fulton, “Implications of a regional order in flux: Chinese and
Russian relations with the United Arab Emirates,” Cambridge Review of
International Affairs (2020).

Focus on Israel/Palestine

Cooley, John. “China and the Palestinians.” Journal of Palestine Studies. Vol. 1, No. 2 (Winter
1972): pp. 19-34.

Harris, Lillian Craig. “China’s Relations with the PLO.” Journal of Palestine Studies. Vol 7, No.
1 (Autumn 1997): pp. 123-154.

Shichor, Yitzhak. “Signal Left – Turn Right: Changing Chinese Attitudes Towards the
Palestinians.” The Asia Dialogues. February 27, 2015.
https://theasiadialogue.com/2015/02/27/signal-left-turn-right-changing-chinese-
attitudes-towards-the-palestinians/.

Evron, Yoram. “OBOR’s impact on Sino-Israeli Relations.” In Ehteshami, Anoushiravan and

Niv Horesh, eds. China’s Presence in the Middle East: The Implications of the One Belt,
One Road Initiative (London: Routledge, 2017).

Optional Reading

Scobell, Andrew and Alireza Naber. China in the Middle East: The Wary Dragon (Washington
DC: RAND, 2016).
https://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/research_reports/RR1200/
RR1229/RAND_RR1229.pdf.

Zoubir, Yahia H. and Youcef Hamitouche, “China’s Relations with Algeria: A Strategic
Partnership?” In Zoubir, Yahia H. Ed. The Politics of Algeria: Domestic Issues and
International Relations (London, Routledge: 2020). Chapter 15. **Instructor will try
to reserve the copy in the library**

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Week 11 (Nov 10) – Muslims in China, Global Implications

Frankel, James. Islam in China (London: I.B. Taurus / Bloomsbury, 2021). **Reading TBA,
and it will be uploaded**

Ho, Wai-Yip. “Mobilizing the Muslim Minority for China’s Development: Hui Muslims,
Ethnic Relations and Sino-Arab Connections.” Journal of Comparative Asian
Development. Vol. 12, Iss. 1 (2012): 84-112.

Wang, Yuting. “The Making of China’s “Good Muslims”: From Middleman Minority to
Cultural Ambassadors.” The China Review. Vol. 18, No. 4. (November 2018): pp. 131-
154.

Focus on the Uighurs

Kakissis, Joanna. “‘I Thought It Would Be Safe’: Uighurs in Turkey Now Fear China’s Long
Arm.” NPR. March 13, 2020. https://www.npr.org/2020/03/13/800118582/i-
thought-it-would-be-safe-uighurs-in-turkey-now-fear-china-s-long-arm.

“The Xinjiang Factor in PRC-IRI Relations.” Chapter 5 in Garver, John W. China and Iran:
ancient partners in a post-imperial world (Seattle: University of Washington Press,
2006). **This book can be found online**

Optional Reading

Ho, Wai-Yip. Islam and China’s Hong Kong: Ethnic identities, Muslim Networks, and the New
Silk Road (Abingdon, Routledge: 2013). **We read Chapter 6 from this book in a
previous week**

Module F – Spaces of Engagement and People-to-people Ties

Week 12 (Nov 18) – Society, Culture, and Education

Armijo, Jacqueline and Shaojin Chai. “Chinese Muslim Diaspora Communities and the Role
of International Islamic Education Networks.” In Cao, Nanlai, Giuseppe Giordan and
Fenggand Yang. Chinese Religions Going Global (Brill, 2021). Chapter 14.

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Wang, Yuting. “Making Chinese Spaces in Dubai: A Spatial Consideration of Chinese

Transnational Communities in the Arab Gulf States.” Journal of Arabian Studies. Vol.
9, Iss. 2 (2019): 269-287. Link

Wang, Jin. "Middle East Studies in China: Achievements and Problems." Middle East Review
of International Affairs (Online), 20.2 (2016): 51-59. 

Winegar, Jessica. “The Moral Panic Over Chinese in Egypt.” Middle East Report. No. 270
(Spring 2014): 35-39.

Yellinek, Roie, Yossi Mann, and Udi Lebel. “Chinese Soft-Power in the Arab World: China’s
Confucius Institutes as a central tool of influence.” Comparative Strategy. Vol. 39, Iss.
6 (2020): 517-534.
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01495933.2020.1826843

Optional Reading

Armijo, Jacqueline. “China and the Gulf: The Social and Cultural Implications of their
Rapidly Developing Economic Ties,” chapter in Asia-Gulf Economic Relations in the
21st Century: The Local to Global Transformation, edited by Tim Niblock and Monica
Malik (Berlin & London: Gerlach Press, 2013).

Wang, Yuting. Chinese in Dubai: Money, Pride, and Soil-Searching (Brill, 2020).
https://brill.com/view/title/58458. **Instructor will try to order a copy for the
library**

**Thanksgiving Break**

Week 13 (Dec 1) – Media and Language

Diao, Wenhoa and Emma Trentman. “Politicizing Study Abroad: Learning Arabic in Egypt
and Mandarin in China.” L2 Journal. Volume 8, Iss. 2 (2016): 31-50. **An opportunity
to reflect on a U.S.-based linguistic gaze and subsequent modes of identity
construction**

Ho, Wai-Yip. “China’s emerging policy of soft power in the Middle East: CCTV Arabic
international channel.” The Maghreb Review. 39.1 (2014): 19-30. **Uploaded on
Canvas**

Simpfendorfer, Ben. The New Silk Road: How A Rising Arab World is Turning Away from the
West and Rediscovering China (London: Palgrave Macmillan, 2011). Chapter 6.
https://www.palgrave.com/gp/book/9780230580268#reviews.

Wang, Jie and Josh Stenberg. "Soft power from Ningxia to Cairo: Chinese-to-Arabic
translation of modern and contemporary literature." Translation Studies, 12:3
(2019): 321-337.

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Week 14 (Dec 8) – Revisiting key concepts and themes

 Review & wrap up
 Questions pertaining to the final writing assignment
 Reflection on course and feedback from students

Comparative Essay Assignment

Students must write a comparative research paper of ~3,000 words as the final assignment
of this course. Students may prepare a paper comparing how a particular form of Chinese
engagement or influence has materialized in two or more MENA country case studies.
Alternatively, students might compare how/why various dimensions of Chinese
engagement exist (or do not exist) within one specific MENA country. Some topical overlap
with previous writing assignments is acceptable, but students should avoid significant
repetition from the shorter analytical essays. The strongest papers will tease out the
implications of these ties for governments, firms, and/or individuals.

Due date: December 21, 11:59PM

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