MIDDLE EAST HISTORY POLITICS CULTURE XIII MIDDLE EAST XIII | Page 177

its support of the ‘Guerrilla’ movement in Oman in 1972. The skewed version
of events in the Middle East made China maintain consciousness paying
attention to all possible details. In general, China opposed the Zionism,
supported the Palestinians’ rights, rejected any US-Soviet attempt to settle
issues in the region, and viewed the Soviet Union as the main threat and
enemy of the Middle East. Taking into account Washington-Moscow-Beijing
triangular influence in the Middle East, the behavior of any Middle Eastern
state towards those powers was becoming disputing issue, as it was significant
to clear up not only a particular country’s desire, but also what benefits could
be possible to gain. It was important to determine, which of those powers
would change the course of events to the full extent of willingness of the
country’s leaders. Also, it is worth to mention, that although historical
movements are mostly driven by economic and social forces, however, they
are carried through by people, and their states of mind therefore become
important for the future cooperation. In this context, China surely played its
role very well. It established and gradually developed relations with the
region’s states, meanwhile it used various tactics to balance the superpowers’
dominating influence in one of the most complicated and chaotic regions of
the world, in the Middle East. 14
During the Cold War period rapidly changing global environment, and
in view of the possibility of a shift in the balance of power in the region, the
PRC leaders would have to reevaluate their role and position for the coming
future. There were existing viewpoints, that the easiest way for China was to
become a satellite of the Soviet Union, but the Chinese appeared to be too
proud for accepting such a secondary role. China not only tried to prevent
and stop the Soviet’s spreading influence in the region, but also made
additional moves for safeguarding its influence and perspectives in the region.
Guided by realism, China chose a middle course while cooperating with the
superpowers. Chinese policymakers and diplomats could change the balance
of power in the Middle East, if they aimed to involve themselves more
actively in revolutionary movements, meanwhile making innovations in their
tactics and strategy. One real possibility which can emphasize this statement
was during the Islamic Revolution of Iran in 1979, when China could fuse its
Schuster A., A Scenario for the future: Communist China and the Middle East,
World Futures. The Journal of New Paradigm Research 20 (3-4), 2010, p. 192.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02604027.1985.9972004
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