In with the New: China’s Nuclear-Energy Diplomacy

Nuclear energy, the new frontier of China’s cooperation with the Middle East, carries both geoeconomic and geopolitical implications. The development of civil nuclear energy is conducive to the diversification of the energy structure of Middle Eastern countries, meets their increasing needs for electricity at home, and improves their seawater desalinization. Giving full play to its incremental advantage, China’s diplomacy strives to expand the market share of its nuclear-power enterprises in the Middle East, elevate its image as a rising nuclear-energy power, and advance nuclear-energy cooperation between China and Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Iran, Algeria, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, and Sudan through multilateral or bilateral mechanisms. These can be classified into three categories: in-depth cooperation, active participation, and preliminary exploration. Nuclear-energy diplomacy aims to expand political influence through civil nuclear activity. Its aim is to enrich the toolkit of China’s Middle East diplomacy and is conducive to a multipolar world in terms of civil nuclear research, development, and industries.