Agahahahahhaha it’s a nice typo though

That said, Beijing can afford to keep its low-cost, no-big-strategy approach because the risk of some damage to its interests is also very low. Moreover, while countries might not trust it in moments of crisis, they still need its money and influence at the UNSC.

Thus, path dependence and little interest in investing resources mean that Chinese influence appears growing fast when things on the ground favor it but it can also evaporate quickly when the wind turns.

In essence, the argument is that the past and likely future ups and downs in China’s fortunes in the Middle East are closely related to how the region fits within Chinese diplomacy. It’s simply not a priority.

It builds on some ideas that I’ve had in my head for a while and that coalesced together during a workshop in Brussels last month.