Energy security interests and an expanding commercial footprint in the Middle East give Beijing strong incentives for a peaceful and stable region. China, however, will not join military efforts against the Islamic State because of the country’s longstanding principle of non-interference and its distrust of Western states.

In the first of their two-part podcast, Paul Haenle and Wu Bingbing discussed how much Chinese leaders might be willing to contribute toward addressing the poor security environment and resurgent extremism evident in parts of the Middle East. Wu explained that China will continue its comprehensive strategy to address economic, political, and cultural factors that have contributed to regional unrest. He asserted that Chinese trade and investment, humanitarian aid, and diplomatic engagement will prove instrumental in improving regional economic prospects and thus fostering sustainable, long-term stability and prosperity.

Wu Bingbing

Wu Bingbing is a research fellow at Peking University’s Institute for International and Strategic Studies, deputy director of Peking University’s Department of Arabic Language and Culture, and director of the university’s Institute of Arab-Islamic Studies. His research interests focus on contemporary Middle Eastern politics, Chinese–Middle Eastern relations, Shia Islam and Iranian studies, and Islamic culture. 

Paul Haenle

Paul Haenle is the director of the Carnegie–Tsinghua Center for Global Policy. Prior to joining Carnegie, he served from June 2007 to June 2009 as the director for China, Taiwan, and Mongolian Affairs on the National Security Council staffs of former president George W. Bush and President Barack Obama.