China’s Policy Responses to Conflicts in West Asia - Case Studies of Afghanistan, Iraq, and Yemen

Abstract

This research compares China’s policy responses to conflicts in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Yemen between 2013 and 2023 to explore the behaviour patterns in China’s responses to conflicts in West Asia. The research uses role theory to explore the Chinese governmental perceptions that drive Chinese foreign policies.
From the theoretical perspective, China performs the roles of a “stood-tall” China, a Chinese nation-state, and a responsible Chinese power in response to conflicts in West Asia. To differentiate China from its historical self in the “century of humiliation”, China hopes to “stand tall” in the face of the West, particularly by defending itself from Western interventions. The role of a “stood-tall” China shapes its non-interventionist foreign policy in West Asia. The role also shapes China’s anti-West mentality, as the West invaded China in the “century of humiliation”. As a Chinese nation-state, China is keen to stabilise the region, thus preventing conflicts from threatening its domestic security. With the region becomes less unstable, China can expand its economic interests in West Asia. Since the 2010s, China has determined to demonstrate to the world that it is a responsible Chinese power. China tries to portray its behaviours in West Asia as contributions to the peace and prosperity of the region.
China mainly uses multilateralist mechanisms and economic approaches to achieve its aims to stabilise West Asia and simultaneously align its behaviours with non-interventionism. China supports the UN in leading mediations, humanitarian assistance, and peace processes in West Asian conflicts, aiming to condition the US behaviours in the conflict zones. Having built good relationships with most West Asian states, China expands its agenda’s influence through regional multilateral mechanisms. China also uses humanitarian assistance and economic development to stabilise the conflict-affected states in West Asia. China mainly uses humanitarian assistance to alleviate crises, preventing them from further destabilising the region. Compared to humanitarian assistance, China prefers to use trade and investments as the primary economic approach to stabilise the states, through which China also gains economically. In addition, China has become more proactive in mediating conflicts in West Asia since the mid-2010s. Conflict mediation serves China’s goal of stabilising the region; China also uses its mediation efforts to demonstrate that it undertakes world responsibility.