Seminar Summary - Methodology, Sources, and Scholarship on China’s Role in the Middle East
Presenting a brief recap of the inaugural lecture of our “China and the Middle East from the Cold War to the Present” webinar series
Last Friday, October 6, the ChinaMed Project, in collaboration with the University of Naples “L’Orientale” and the al-Sabah Programme of Durham University, organized the first of a new series of seminars on “China and the Middle East from the Cold War to the Present”.
We are thrilled to share with you a summary of this inaugural webinar, during which Professor Andrea Ghiselli, hosted by Professor Enrico Fardella, shared his insights into the methodologies and sources scholars can adopt to delve into the complexities of China's Middle East policy.
Chinese Think Tanks, Academic Journals and Media
Professor Ghiselli began with a historical overview of the development of Middle East studies in China. While a few research programs and courses focused on the Middle East existed as early as the 1950s, it wasn’t until the mid-1960s that they really began to gain traction and expand. This growth persisted even after the Cultural Revolution, and today, an increasing number of Chinese researchers are becoming proficient in Middle Eastern languages. This surge of interest in the Middle East can be attributed to Beijing's recognition of the region's growing diplomatic and economic importance. Consequently, there is now a wealth of available sources to gain insight into the Chinese perspective on the Middle East.
Ghiselli highlighted Middle East-focused journals like Arab World Studies (阿拉伯世界研究) and West Asia and Africa (西亚非洲), published by Shanghai International Studies University and the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, respectively. He also pointed out other generalist journals that provide insights into the viewpoint of Chinese experts, such as China International Studies (国际问题研究), Foreign Affairs Review (外交评论), Contemporary International Relations (现代国际关系), and World Economics and Politics (世界经济与政治).
In terms of media, Ghiselli highlighted Shanghai-based The Paper (澎湃新闻), which hosts a regular column on Middle Eastern affairs. Additionally, opinions and statements regarding the Middle East can be found in the Global Times (环球时报) and Guancha (观察者网). These outlets, (in)famous for their strong political opinions, often delve into international issues by interviewing experts from think tanks and universities. Other media sources include Xinhua’s Globe (环球), which, until recently, published short pieces written by academics, and the academic blog Aisixiang (爱思想). Ghiselli noted how scholars affiliated with research centers in Shanghai, especially the Shanghai International Studies University’s Middle East Studies Institute, appear to have a more prominent media presence than their counterparts based elsewhere, though he warned that this visibility should not necessarily be considered an indicator of their actual influence on China's Middle East policy.
Deciphering Chinese Foreign Policy
Ghiselli also examined the strengths and weaknesses of the main models employed to interpret the statements and comments of Chinese experts in the attempt to understand China’s foreign policy. These models – which include the “Free Marker Model,” the “Epistemic Community Model,” the “Policy Signaling Model,” and “Mirroring Policy Model” – are based on different assumptions on the interactions between experts and government.
Out of these, the professor suggested that the “Mirroring Policy Model” might be the most appropriate to study China’s foreign policy, including toward the Middle East. In essence, this model presupposes that the views of scholars partly reflect those of their government. Consequently, identifying the prevailing ideas and narratives among academics can provide insights into the government's thinking on foreign policy (for an example of this model in action, see this recent article by Ghiselli on the Chinese perspective on Russia’s role in the Middle East). The professor, however, noted that the other models may also prove useful, depending on the research question posed and the availability of relevant sources.
The Role and Sources of Quantitative Data
The seminar then shifted to discussing Chinese quantitative data sources like the China Trade and External Economic Yearbooks (中国贸易外经统计年鉴) and the yearly Statistical Bulletins of China’s Outward Foreign Direct Investment (中国对外直接投资统计公报; N.B. the latest issues contain significantly less data than older ones). For foreign datasets, Ghiselli cited the ChinaMed Index, AEI China Global Investment Tracker, PEW Research Center, the World Bank, the Observatory of Economic Complexity, and Trade Map. The professor stressed that each source has its own strengths and weaknesses and that researchers must consider these nuances when investigating Sino-Middle Eastern relations, as well as China’s economic global engagement.
To conclude, Ghiselli underscored the importance of harmonizing qualitative and quantitative sources in research and the necessity to distinguish policy formulation and policy execution in one’s analysis. While the sources and approaches he discussed are mostly helpful to understand the former, more in-depth country-specific knowledge is needed for the latter.
Coming Soon…
If you found this recap insightful, please join us this Friday, October 13, when Professor Anoush Ehteshami (Al Sabah Program, Durham University) will delve into the “Asianization of Asia: the dialectics of China’s resurgence as a global power”.
🕙 Time: 10:30 am – 12:30 pm CET
📍 Platform: Microsoft Teams
🔗 Link: Click here to join (connect a few minutes before the beginning of the event)
💼 No Registration Necessary
There will be lectures in this series until November 9, 2023.
For a full list of seminars, click here.