This project has received funding via the EUI ESR call 2026, dedicated to Early Stage Researchers, with the contribution of the EUI Widening Europe Programme. The EUI Widening Europe Programme initiative, backed by contributions from the European Union and EUI Contracting States, is designed to strengthen internationalisation, competitiveness, and quality in research in Widening countries, and thus foster a more cohesive European Higher Education and Research area.
Over the past decade, China has emerged as one of the most dynamic actors in the global arms trade, transforming from a net importer of weapons into one of the world’s most important exporters. This research project examines China’s growing role as a supplier of arms to the MENA between 2013 (the start of the Belt and Road Initiative) and 2025, situating it within Beijing’s broader geopolitical ambitions and foreign policy strategies. In particular, the study explores how China’s desire to consolidate its position as a global military power interacts with its economic, strategic, and diplomatic goals in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
This research project will provide an empirical and theoretical assessment of China’s arms export behaviour in the MENA. By combining quantitative analysis of arms trade data with qualitative interpretation through the lenses of IR theories, the project aims to clarify how China’s defence exports serve its broader strategic objectives and how they may reshape regional power dynamics. The findings will shed light on whether China’s growing presence represents a pragmatic diversification strategy driven by economic interests, a form of strategic influence seeking to balance United States' dominance, or an emerging model of international engagement rooted in Chinese political values and narratives. Ultimately, the project contributes to a more nuanced understanding of China’s global rise and its implications for the evolving international order in one of the world’s most militarised and politically complex regions.
For more information about the EUI Widening Europe Programme, please visit the official webpage.