China-Arab States Strategic Partnership: Myth or Reality?

Abstract: Since the establishment of the Chin-Arab States Cooperation Forum (CASCF) in 2004, the two sides have forged special political relations. Such a special relationship, different from that of a military alliance, has strategic attributes of alignment, and has transcended the common state-to-state relations in the world. In the next decade, Sino-Arab strategic cooperation will live through a golden historical opportunity. But, whether the Forum will rise to a formal organization like the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is determined by two competing factors. The positive factors derive from China and the Arab countries sharing a series of common values, emphasis on national dignity, revitalization, political multi-polarity, diversity of development modes and non-interference in each other’s internal affairs; the negative factors rest on Arab countries having intrinsic internal discords, low integration and divergent attitudes towards the West, particularly since the outbreak of the Arab uprisings. To further promote the strategic relations, China and the Arab States should eliminate the impact of the “Islamic threat” and the “China threat” in their respective media, give priority to each other in their separate overall diplomacy and respect each other’s vital interests.