Well-wishing; China's foreign policy

What is the importance of Xi Jinping’s travel to the Middle East? How does past leader, Mao Tse-tung, relate to  Xi Jinping’s decision to visit the Middle East? Xi Jinping hopes that Middle East’s tension would disappear; Could Xi Jinping scatter tensions when Xi Jinping has no success in its own border in a province in western China, Xinjiang?

Xi Jinping, China’s leader since 2012, has traveled to 14 countries compared to President Obama, who has just traveled to 11 countries.  What those this mean? China is trying to show its advancement in power to the international and domestic public. Xi Jinping, until this year, has traveled to the Middle East to start relations. Xi Jinping began in Saudi Arabia then it will continue his journey to Egypt, then to Iran. Why wouldn’t China want to create relations with the Middle East? The Middle East is the world’s largest oil importer. Additionally, Xi Jinping wants to be on the good side with the Middle East because of the “new Silk Route”. The “new Silke Routes” will help link China to Europe with “the help of the Chinese-funded infrastructure that will run across the Middle East”. Chinese companies are already creating expressways in the Middle East. However, the Middle East has a lot of tension right now especially with the execution of a Shia cleric and the response by the angry Iranians at the Saudi embassy in Tehran. Therefore, Saudi Arabia and Iran have cut relations. China hopes to not have to pick a side.

Mao met with United States President Nixon, which was a huge step in easing tension between China and USA after post-Cold War. Xi Jinping’s action to visit a region with a lot of tensions relates to Mao’s actions. How? Well, both leaders realized that the prosperity of the nation’s economy is more important than tensions and dramas. Additionally, Mao’s “Great Leap Forward” has some industrialized ideas involved even though it was not so successful. Xi Jinping’s realizes the great resource that the Middle East has and how it could benefit China. Both leaders realize industrialization and modernization are important for economic growth and increase in power of China. 

Its shocking to me that no Chinese leaders have put a foot into the Middle East since 2009 until now. However, I understand because maybe China did not want to get involved in the Middle East tensions. China is stating that they will stay neutral from all tensions in the Middle East, however, China has not been able to resolve problems in its own borders. Xinjiang has a large Muslim population and China is having the same problem there. Additionally, China could not stay neutral in the Syrian tension. When China vetoed UN resolutions on intervention, it showed its support for the government and not to the opposition.  China is rising in power, however, I am curious to know if China would be able to stay neutral? I will have to keep a close look at China and the Middle East's affairs.