Saturday, September 17, 2011

China's Evolving Foreign Policy: the Libyan Dilemma

Although China has yet to recognize the new Libyan government, Chinese policy-makers seem to be taking a unique approach to the uprising in Libya.

China's response earlier in the year to the uprising in Egypt was typical of how it normally responds to foreign upheavals: supporting the reigning government and depicting the rebels to be nothing more than "insignificant troublemakers" in its state-run media. However, China's response to the Libyan uprising has been a bit different. For example, instead of supporting Gaddafi's regime earlier in the year, China decided to vote in favor of UN sanctions against it.

In addition, China has also met with the rebels on multiple occasions. In early June, it met with the rebels in Qatar, and in late June, it sent a diplomat to Benghazi (supposedly to speak about "human rights issues" and "the security of Chinese businesses in Libya").

However, China has still "tried to avoid any hint of support for the rebels' cause", and remains extremely cautious; it does not want to send a signal back home saying that rebellion can be justified.

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