Changing Dynamics in Asia-Middle East Relations - Böcker

This book examines theoretical and empirical approaches to the study of middle powers with reference to South Korea’s bilateral relations with Iran, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Iraq. It maps the development, political and diplomatic trajectories between South Korea and Iran, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Iraq against the historical backdrop of ROK-US alliance and the rise of China. Jeong provides a nuanced analysis of the intersectionality of political economy and foreign policy analysis contextualizing state-building processes in ROK and the Middle Eastern countries.This accessible book is intended for students and scholars in area studies and international affairs, career diplomats, and South Korean businesses in the Middle East. It should also prove of practical value for journalists and policy makers who are interested in studying the nexus of domestic, regional and international factors that have configured South Korea’s Middle East policy.

This book examines theoretical and empirical approaches to the study of middle powers with reference to South Korea’s bilateral relations with Iran, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Iraq. It maps the development, political and diplomatic trajectories between South Korea and Iran, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Iraq against the historical backdrop of ROK-US alliance and the rise of China. Jeong provides a nuanced analysis of the intersectionality of political economy and foreign policy analysis contextualizing state-building processes in ROK and the Middle Eastern countries.This accessible book is intended for students and scholars in area studies and international affairs, career diplomats, and South Korean businesses in the Middle East. It should also prove of practical value for journalists and policy makers who are interested in studying the nexus of domestic, regional and international factors that have configured South Korea’s Middle East policy.

This book considers how public diplomacy is employed as an instrument of statecraft by Middle Eastern and Asian governments to leverage soft power. Senior, mid-career, and junior scholars from academia and think tanks synthesise their expertise to deploy historical, geopolitical, and economic approaches in their analyses and observe how new practices of public diplomacy have been developed, tested, and applied in the two regions. Building and extending on the extant scholarship, which remains mostly focused on East Asia, it incorporates the Middle East not only as a recipient but also as a practitioner of public diplomacy. The thematic focus is underpinned by case studies of individual nation-states, enabling analysis of concrete examples that shed light on the evolution of Asia-Middle East ties.This volume is an essential reference for scholars and policymakers in the fields of international relations, international political economy, and area studies who seek to explore relations between these two geographical areas beyond traditional diplomacy.

Gulf stability is coming to play a larger role in the foreign policy calculus of many states, but the evolving role of Asian powers is largely under-represented in the International Relations literature. This volume addresses this gap with a set of empirically rich, theory driven case studies written by academics from or based in the countries in question. The underlying assumption is not that Asian powers have already become important security actors in the Gulf, but rather that they perceive the Gulf as a region of increasing strategic relevance. How will leaders in these countries adjust to an evolving regional framework? Will there be coordinated efforts to establish an Asian-centered approach to Gulf stability, or will Asian rivalries make the region a theater of competition? Will US–China tensions force alignment choices among Asian powers? Will Asian states balance, bandwagon, hedge, or adopt some other approach to their Gulf relationships? These questions become even more important as the western boundaries of Asia increasingly come to incorporate the Middle East. The book will appeal to scholars and students in the fields of International Relations, Security Studies, and International Political Economy, as well as area specialists on the Gulf and those working on foreign policy issues on each of the Asian countries included. Professionals in government and non-government agencies will also find it very useful.The Open Access version of this book, available at www.taylorfrancis.com, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 license.

Gulf stability is coming to play a larger role in the foreign policy calculus of many states, but the evolving role of Asian powers is largely under-represented in the International Relations literature. This volume addresses this gap with a set of empirically rich, theory driven case studies written by academics from or based in the countries in question. The underlying assumption is not that Asian powers have already become important security actors in the Gulf, but rather that they perceive the Gulf as a region of increasing strategic relevance. How will leaders in these countries adjust to an evolving regional framework? Will there be coordinated efforts to establish an Asian-centered approach to Gulf stability, or will Asian rivalries make the region a theater of competition? Will US–China tensions force alignment choices among Asian powers? Will Asian states balance, bandwagon, hedge, or adopt some other approach to their Gulf relationships? These questions become even more important as the western boundaries of Asia increasingly come to incorporate the Middle East. The book will appeal to scholars and students in the fields of International Relations, Security Studies, and International Political Economy, as well as area specialists on the Gulf and those working on foreign policy issues on each of the Asian countries included. Professionals in government and non-government agencies will also find it very useful.The Open Access version of this book, available at www.taylorfrancis.com, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 license.

As we move towards a world without superpowers, the dynamics within and between regions are of growing significance. Against this backdrop, this book explores the links between South Asia and the Gulf, which have existed for centuries but are undergoing important shifts in the transition to multipolarity. With a special focus on India, Pakistan, Iran, Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Sri Lanka and Oman, this volume brings together scholars from across these regions to investigate what the decentring world order means for the relationship between South Asia and the Gulf. It employs Regional Security Complex Theory to examine the changing global patterns of power and their impact on the inter-regional patterns of amity and enmity between states in South Asia and the Gulf. It employs both constructivist and realist approaches, seeking to understand how power and social processes influence the political and security linkages between these regions.

As we move towards a world without superpowers, the dynamics within and between regions are of growing significance. Against this backdrop, this book explores the links between South Asia and the Gulf, which have existed for centuries but are undergoing important shifts in the transition to multipolarity. With a special focus on India, Pakistan, Iran, Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Sri Lanka and Oman, this volume brings together scholars from across these regions to investigate what the decentring world order means for the relationship between South Asia and the Gulf. It employs Regional Security Complex Theory to examine the changing global patterns of power and their impact on the inter-regional patterns of amity and enmity between states in South Asia and the Gulf. It employs both constructivist and realist approaches, seeking to understand how power and social processes influence the political and security linkages between these regions.

This book analyses the expansion of Chinese power and influence in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) through Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) projects undertaken in the “1+ 2+ 3 cooperation pattern.” Under this framework, 1 represents energy, 2 represents infrastructure and trade and investment, and 3 represents nuclear energy, space satellites, and renewable energy. Taken together these elements indicate the trajectory of China’s MENA presence, and by examining each element in different states across the region, this book provides empirical evidence of which states or subregions are most important for Beijing’s regional ambitions, as well as a better understanding of which sectors are being developed. The book will draw substantial interest from a wide range of readers including academics in the field of Chinese foreign policy, international relations, international political economy, foreign policy analysis, and area studies. Professionals in the corporate world will also be engaged and governmental practitioners and non-government agencies will also find it an important resource.

This book examines the changing relations between the Asian part of the Middle East and the rest of the continent during the 21st century. Written by leading experts, this ground-breaking volume utilizes a comprehensive and multi-dimensional perspective to offer a novel and unique outlook on the evolving shape of East-West Asia relations and their global impact. Critically, it demonstrates that the intensification and diversification of East-West Asia relations since the 1990s have altered them from a set of separated bilateral ties into complex interregional relations.The book presents a nuanced, comparative look at Asian countries’ responses to global developments, and China’s rise in particular, and offers a new perspective on the very concept of Asia itself. It will be of interest to scholars, students, and practitioners working in the fields of International Relations, Asian Studies, and Middle Eastern Studies.

The shift in international relations towards multipolarity has had profound implications across the world, but particularly in highly penetrated regions such as the Middle East. This book explores the rivalry between the USA, Russia, and China in the region, investigating its effects and assessing the influence of regional actors and issues.Each chapter offers a comprehensive analysis of three core questions: How does global power competition manifest itself? How does it impact regional political, economic, and security dynamics? How do regional actors and issues influence the trajectory and dynamics of global power competition?Expert international contributors take a country case study approach to consider these questions and investigate the most pressing contemporary events, issues, and trends in Middle Eastern politics. Tackling transregional and global issues and themes, they analyse the convergence, divergence, and competition between global powers in managing threats and interests such as terrorism, energy and cyber security, nuclear non-proliferation, conflict resolution, and warfare.This volume will appeal to scholars and students of international relations, great power competition, China, Russia, the USA, and the Middle East.Chapter 3 of this book is freely available as a downloadable Open Access PDF at http://www.taylorfrancis.com under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives (CC-BY-NC-ND) 4.0 license.

The shift in international relations towards multipolarity has had profound implications across the world, but particularly in highly penetrated regions such as the Middle East. This book explores the rivalry between the USA, Russia, and China in the region, investigating its effects and assessing the influence of regional actors and issues.Each chapter offers a comprehensive analysis of three core questions: How does global power competition manifest itself? How does it impact regional political, economic, and security dynamics? How do regional actors and issues influence the trajectory and dynamics of global power competition?Expert international contributors take a country case study approach to consider these questions and investigate the most pressing contemporary events, issues, and trends in Middle Eastern politics. Tackling transregional and global issues and themes, they analyse the convergence, divergence, and competition between global powers in managing threats and interests such as terrorism, energy and cyber security, nuclear non-proliferation, conflict resolution, and warfare.This volume will appeal to scholars and students of international relations, great power competition, China, Russia, the USA, and the Middle East.Chapter 3 of this book is freely available as a downloadable Open Access PDF at http://www.taylorfrancis.com under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives (CC-BY-NC-ND) 4.0 license.

This book considers China’s recent engagement in the Middle East, to what extent its approach has fundamentally changed, and how this role change has been received by regional and other actors. Based on content analysis, qualitative interviews, and archival records analysis, the author examines the evolution of Beijing’s involvement in the region. Analysis of first-hand and full-sample data contributes to the role theory literature and has important policy implications, as it points out the main difference between established powers such as the United States and EU and rising extra regional powers and sheds light on what China’s growing economic, political, and strategic clout means for the geopolitical landscape of the Middle East. This text will be of interest to scholars and students of politics, international relations, China’s foreign policy, and Middle Eastern and North African studies, along with journalists, researchers of think tanks, analysts of investment banks and transnational enterprises, and policymakers.

This book considers China’s recent engagement in the Middle East, to what extent its approach has fundamentally changed, and how this role change has been received by regional and other actors. Based on content analysis, qualitative interviews, and archival records analysis, the author examines the evolution of Beijing’s involvement in the region. Analysis of first-hand and full-sample data contributes to the role theory literature and has important policy implications, as it points out the main difference between established powers such as the United States and EU and rising extra regional powers and sheds light on what China’s growing economic, political, and strategic clout means for the geopolitical landscape of the Middle East. This text will be of interest to scholars and students of politics, international relations, China’s foreign policy, and Middle Eastern and North African studies, along with journalists, researchers of think tanks, analysts of investment banks and transnational enterprises, and policymakers.