In the midst of foreign interference, China prefers neutral approach to Libyan crisis

On 22 December 2020, Mordechai Chaziza published with The Middle East Institute (MEI) an essay exploring the ties between China and Libya, as part of MEI’s series “All about China” to which various authors have been contributing since 2015. Providing first an historic overview of the links between China and Libya, Chaziza demonstrates that China’s interest in Libya are driven by the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). For China, Libya could potentially be a valuable BRI partner, due to its energy resources and geographical location. However, continuous political and security tensions refrain China’s engagement in Libya and in the frenzy of foreign interference, the People Republic of China’s (PRC) has adopted a neutral approach, choosing not to side with either rival sides but rather keeping its options open. For the author, when Libya’s tensions will stabilize, China could be a major player in rebuilding the country due to its financial and technical strengths.Click here to read the essay.