September 2017

Economic cooperation with China and the hopes for its development are at the center ofthe reports of Mediterranean media this month. Confirming the positive moment of the relationship between his country and China, the UAE trade attaché in Beijing declared that the growing trade volume and the investments that Chinese companies made in the Arab country provide a solid foundation upon which cooperation can continue to expand. While China is the main UAE's trade partner, more than 4.000 Chinese companies do business there. The attaché highlighted the importance of China's support for the diversification of the UAE economy beyond the energy sector. Egyptian officials expressed similar enthusiasm for the 482 km-long railway that will be built by Chinese companies between Ain Sokhna-Al and El Alamein. The officials statedthat this railway could be the first part of an expanding network necessary to boost the nation's economy. Great expectations for Chinese investments are also visible in Turkish media. While reporting the likely arrival of Chinese capitals in the Istanbul real estate market, Turkey is presented as a keypartner for China since many Chinese entrepreneurs are already involved in the Turkish finance, textile, and energy sectors. Meanwhile, Algeria is also strengtheningits partnership with China in the agricultural sector. Reportedly, such kind of cooperation is very important for the Algerian agricultural sector which isworthy USD 30 billion and is growing at 8%.

The envisioned scope of the cooperation between China and the region is not only regional. The Saudi Ambassador to Islamabad declared that Riyadh is willing to join the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. The Saudi participation in the Chinese project is framed as part of the goodrelations between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan that include economic as well assecurity cooperation. Similarly, however, events outside the region are also acause of concerns in the northern shores of the Mediterranean Sea. Algerian media expressed doubts about China's position in the Rohingya people in Myanmar, which are mostly Muslim.  

Finally, China is expected to keep on increasing its engagement in the region, and at the global level more generally, bypursuing a "practical" and "realist" approach to policymaking and diplomacy. Economic cooperation is the pillar of China's external action. The leadership of Xi Jinping is described as a crucial driverof China's more "extroverted and active role" in Asia and outside.