The Contradictions Created by China’s Middle East Policies and Role, and Future Development Opportunities

China's continued economic development in the 21 st century will be reliant on its everincreasing oil and natural gas energy needs.The Middle East, the region responsible for the largest share of the production of oil and natural gas in the world, has already become China's primary energy source.In this position, the stability of the Middle East has a direct and immediate impact on world oil and natural gas prices.In light of the "Arab Spring" revolts starting in December 2010, as well as all of the politically sensitive issues currently threatening Middle East stability, the future stability of the region is still not clear.Under these circumstances, protecting the stability of the Middle East, and in turn protecting the stability of global energy markets, has become a critical national interest for China.Up to this point in time, China's primary method for protecting Middle East stability has been to establish a policy of "no-strings-attached" friendly economic ties with all states in the Middle East.The positive influence China has had on the economic iii development of Middle East states deserves recognition, but this single-track policy has not had nearly significant enough of an impact on preserving or promoting Middle East stability; moreover, this policy has led to ambiguity and contradiction in China's Middle East policies.This thesis will analyze how China's Middle East policies led to its ambiguous and contradictory role in the Middle East.Thereafter, it will provide possible policy suggestions that China can adopt in order to overcome the contradictions currently caused by its policies, while at the same time determining China's future role and influence in the Middle East.