A Study of China’s Relationship with the Islamic World

Abstract

Since the beginning of the 21st century, the China-Islamic World relationship has gained more impetus and entered into the fast track of development due to increasing bilateral, regional and global strategic interests. From a strategic perspective, China focuses more on energy and resources, national security in relation to religious extremism, national separatism and terrorism, and changes of regional geo-strategic structures in the Islamic World. Along with increasing mutual interests and the role of China in the Islamic World (including Central Asia, West Asia, South Asia and South-East Asia), political, economic and security relations between China and the Islamic World have been of great significance. As regards this, the recent developments of the relationships between China and both the Central Asian as well as the West Asian States can be used as examples. During these processes, the bilateral and multilateral cooperative regimes, such as Shanghai Cooperative Organization (SCO) and Sino-Arab Co-operation Forum (SACF), were established. In the future, the regional challenges in the Islamic World and the rising role of Central Asia, West Asia, South Asia and South-East Asia and their competitors from current great powers, including the U.S.A., Russia, India, Japan and the EU, will have an impact on the relationship between China and the Islamic World.