| Summary/Abstract |
The Middle East and North Africa remain indispensable to modern world geopolitics given its geography-the presence of rich minerals and carbonate oil reservoirs. Standing as the gateway between Africa, Europe and Asia, the region has been marked by conflicts beginning from the Arab-Israel conflict in early cold war to US interventions after September 11 attacks and post Arab Spring civil wars. As the US tries to disengage from the middle east, regional powers such as Saudi Arabia, Israel, Russia, Iran and Turkey have been competing with one another by seeking new partnerships. This is where Beijing comes in to fill the void.
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