Jonathan Fulton
@jonathanfulton.bsky.social
Associate professor of political science at Zayed University in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Nonresident senior fellow at Atlantic Council. Research focuses on China-Middle East relations. Host of The China-MENA Podcast, author of China-MENA Newsletter on Substack.
Pinned
Present without impact? How the Middle East perceives China’s diplomatic engagement
In this issue brief, Jonathan Fulton argues that Middle Eastern perceptions of China vary; it is seen as a cautious, transactional actor with limited capacity for addressing key regional conflicts and...
www.atlanticcouncil.org
I'm happy to share my latest Issue Brief for Atlantic Council, "Present without Impact: How the Middle East perceives China's Diplomatic Engagement," originally written for UK MoD's SONAC. Have a read, share, let me know what you think: www.atlanticcouncil.org/in-depth-res...
Just got the hard copy of this latest book for my series. Public Diplomacy between Asia and the Middle East will be useful for a lot you you. Congrats to Francesca Frasseneti, Sook Jong Lee, & Chiara Lovotti for a great contribution.
November 6, 2025 at 7:13 AM
Just got the hard copy of this latest book for my series. Public Diplomacy between Asia and the Middle East will be useful for a lot you you. Congrats to Francesca Frasseneti, Sook Jong Lee, & Chiara Lovotti for a great contribution.
My latest for AGBI: www.agbi.com/opinion/trad...
Chinese-Saudi investment is not quite a two-way street
Chinese capital has been flowing generously into Saudi Arabia but there has been remarkably little moving in the other direction
www.agbi.com
October 1, 2025 at 1:44 PM
My latest for AGBI: www.agbi.com/opinion/trad...
Reposted by Jonathan Fulton
Next week: AGSI will host a discussion on the trajectory of China's presence in the Middle East with @jonathanfulton.bsky.social and moderated by Robert Mogielnicki. Register today.
Book Talk: Building the Belt and Road Initiative in the Arab World: China's Middle East Math - Arab Gulf States Institute
On September 18, AGSI will host a discussion on the trajectory of China's presence in the Middle East.
agsi.org
September 12, 2025 at 1:02 PM
Next week: AGSI will host a discussion on the trajectory of China's presence in the Middle East with @jonathanfulton.bsky.social and moderated by Robert Mogielnicki. Register today.
Reposted by Jonathan Fulton
Event 9/18: Book Talk: Building the Belt and Road Initiative in the Arab World: China’s Middle East Math with author @jonathanfulton.bsky.social, moderated by Robert Mogielnicki. Register now. agsi.org/events/book-...
Book Talk: Building the Belt and Road Initiative in the Arab World: China's Middle East Math - Arab Gulf States Institute
On September 18, AGSI will host a discussion on the trajectory of China's presence in the Middle East.
agsi.org
September 8, 2025 at 7:37 PM
Event 9/18: Book Talk: Building the Belt and Road Initiative in the Arab World: China’s Middle East Math with author @jonathanfulton.bsky.social, moderated by Robert Mogielnicki. Register now. agsi.org/events/book-...
The Shanghai Cooperation Summit is in full swing in Tianjin, with Iranian and Turkish presidents and Egyptian PM in attendance. If you're looking for MENA-SCO content: chinamenanewsletter.substack.com/p/shanghai-c...
Shanghai Cooperation Summit in Tianjin
So, today is Day 2 of the SCO Summit in Tianjin.
chinamenanewsletter.substack.com
September 1, 2025 at 7:36 AM
The Shanghai Cooperation Summit is in full swing in Tianjin, with Iranian and Turkish presidents and Egyptian PM in attendance. If you're looking for MENA-SCO content: chinamenanewsletter.substack.com/p/shanghai-c...
A lot of China-MENA content in the newsletter today, including KSA investment delegation in PRC and China-Arab States Expo: chinamenanewsletter.substack.com/p/saudi-inve...
Saudi investment delegation in China, PRC solar investments, China-Arab States Expo, and lots more
Far too much content to cover in the title line today...
chinamenanewsletter.substack.com
August 29, 2025 at 9:08 AM
A lot of China-MENA content in the newsletter today, including KSA investment delegation in PRC and China-Arab States Expo: chinamenanewsletter.substack.com/p/saudi-inve...
My latest for AGBI: www.agbi.com/opinion/trad...
China and Oman converge on solar
China's relations with Saudi Arabia and the UAE may get the limelight but Oman has its own interesting bilateral relationship
www.agbi.com
August 28, 2025 at 10:31 AM
My latest for AGBI: www.agbi.com/opinion/trad...
Fun to come home to a box full of books.
August 25, 2025 at 6:56 AM
Fun to come home to a box full of books.
Nice to see @abuaardvark.bsky.social reviewed my book alongside the excellent recent one from @andreaghiselli.bsky.social and Mohammed Alsudairi.
What China wants in the Middle East- review essay on two new books, one by @jonathanfulton.bsky.social and one by Mohammed Alsudairy and Andrea Ghiselli. They don’t see a real Chinese challenge on the horizon - but I wonder if Trump will force its hand.
abuaardvarkghost.ghost.io/what-china-w...
abuaardvarkghost.ghost.io/what-china-w...
What China wants in the Middle East
A little book review essay on a critical subject to launch the new semester.
Thank you so much for subscribing to Abu Aardvark's Ghost and the MENA Academy (sounds like a killer indy band, right?). M...
abuaardvarkghost.ghost.io
August 25, 2025 at 6:55 AM
Nice to see @abuaardvark.bsky.social reviewed my book alongside the excellent recent one from @andreaghiselli.bsky.social and Mohammed Alsudairi.
Reposted by Jonathan Fulton
Les chercheurs du CÉPI @thomasjuneau.bsky.social et @srdj.bsky.social travaillent depuis plusieurs années sur un projet consacré à la politique de défense canadienne. Le volume 1 a été publié en 2020, le volume 2 en 2023, et le travail sur le volume 3 débutera dans les prochains mois !
August 19, 2025 at 4:46 PM
Les chercheurs du CÉPI @thomasjuneau.bsky.social et @srdj.bsky.social travaillent depuis plusieurs années sur un projet consacré à la politique de défense canadienne. Le volume 1 a été publié en 2020, le volume 2 en 2023, et le travail sur le volume 3 débutera dans les prochains mois !
I'll be giving a book talk at Atlantic Council on August 27 to discuss Building the Belt and Road Initiative in the Arab World: China's Middle East Math. Register through the link and tune in to learn more about China's economic statecraft in the Middle East. www.atlanticcouncil.org/event/book-t...
Book talk: China's Middle East math
Jonathan Fulton explores the expansion of Chinese power and influence in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) through Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) projects undertaken in the “1+ 2+ 3 cooperation ...
www.atlanticcouncil.org
August 15, 2025 at 11:48 AM
I'll be giving a book talk at Atlantic Council on August 27 to discuss Building the Belt and Road Initiative in the Arab World: China's Middle East Math. Register through the link and tune in to learn more about China's economic statecraft in the Middle East. www.atlanticcouncil.org/event/book-t...
I spent decades at Columbia. I’m withdrawing my fall course due to its deal with Trump | Rashid Khalidi www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
I spent decades at Columbia. I’m withdrawing my fall course due to its deal with Trump | Rashid Khalidi
The university’s draconian policies and new definition of antisemitism make much teaching impossible
www.theguardian.com
August 2, 2025 at 11:04 AM
I spent decades at Columbia. I’m withdrawing my fall course due to its deal with Trump | Rashid Khalidi www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Reposted by Jonathan Fulton
China–Middle East Analysis and the Future of China–middle East Studies.
July 29, 2025 at 7:50 PM
China–Middle East Analysis and the Future of China–middle East Studies.
My latest newsletter looks at Egypt as an SCO dialogue partner, among other issues: open.substack.com/pub/chinamen...
From Dialogues to Deals: Egypt’s Calculated Dance with the Shanghai Cooperation Organization
Also: WSJ on China's decreasing energy imports, China-Russia-Iran meeting in Tehran, SCZone investment tour in China, Saudi competing in renewables
open.substack.com
July 23, 2025 at 12:32 PM
My latest newsletter looks at Egypt as an SCO dialogue partner, among other issues: open.substack.com/pub/chinamen...
My latest column from AGBI, looking at Li Qiang's visit to Egypt: www.agbi.com/opinion/trad.... #china #egypt
Li Qiang's Cairo visit marks deepening China-Egypt ties
Chinese Premier Li Qiang paid a two-day visit to Egypt last week, stopping in Cairo on his way home from the Brics+ summit in Brazil
www.agbi.com
July 21, 2025 at 7:59 PM
My latest column from AGBI, looking at Li Qiang's visit to Egypt: www.agbi.com/opinion/trad.... #china #egypt
A fun birthday gift: @keeganmatheson.bsky.social’s great new addition to the @bluejays.com library.
July 19, 2025 at 3:49 PM
A fun birthday gift: @keeganmatheson.bsky.social’s great new addition to the @bluejays.com library.
A roundup of recent developments in China-MENA relations, including a potential eVTOL deal with the UAE and an expansion of China's presence at SCZone in Egypt: open.substack.com/pub/chinamen...
Air taxis and freight trains
Also: Chinese expansion in Egypt's SCZone, big contract for CHEC in Saudi, coverage of SCO Ministers' Meeting
open.substack.com
July 18, 2025 at 1:58 PM
A roundup of recent developments in China-MENA relations, including a potential eVTOL deal with the UAE and an expansion of China's presence at SCZone in Egypt: open.substack.com/pub/chinamen...
I spoke with CNN for this piece on Iranian FM Araghchi's recent trip to Tianjin for the SCO Ministers' Meeting:
www.cnn.com/2025/07/18/c...
www.cnn.com/2025/07/18/c...
Analysis: China was on the sidelines of the Iran-Israel war. That’s just where it wanted to be | CNN
Weeks after his country was battered by waves of Israeli strikes and the US bombed three of its prized nuclear facilities, Iran’s foreign minister came to a gathering of regional diplomats in China th...
www.cnn.com
July 18, 2025 at 11:16 AM
I spoke with CNN for this piece on Iranian FM Araghchi's recent trip to Tianjin for the SCO Ministers' Meeting:
www.cnn.com/2025/07/18/c...
www.cnn.com/2025/07/18/c...
If there’s a better way to write a column I haven’t found it yet.
July 17, 2025 at 4:30 PM
If there’s a better way to write a column I haven’t found it yet.
I had fun talking with Eric Olander again for his must-listen China in the Global South Podcast. We discussed my new book and China-MENA in general. Always enjoy doing this show. Have a listen, subscribe and support the work Eric and his team is doing. chinaglobalsouth.com/podcasts/pod...
China’s Middle East Math
There was widespread disappointment in Iran that China didn't do more to help Tehran during the recent 12-day war with Israel and the United States. Beijing, for its part, offered robust rhetorical an...
chinaglobalsouth.com
July 17, 2025 at 11:45 AM
I had fun talking with Eric Olander again for his must-listen China in the Global South Podcast. We discussed my new book and China-MENA in general. Always enjoy doing this show. Have a listen, subscribe and support the work Eric and his team is doing. chinaglobalsouth.com/podcasts/pod...
FM Araghchi is in China for the SCO Ministers Meeting. I wrote about Iran's minimal expectations here: open.substack.com/pub/chinamen...
Photo Ops and Paper Partnerships: Iran’s Lonely Road to Tianjin
Also: antidumping disputes between GCC & PRC; coverage of Li's Egypt visit
open.substack.com
July 14, 2025 at 3:19 PM
FM Araghchi is in China for the SCO Ministers Meeting. I wrote about Iran's minimal expectations here: open.substack.com/pub/chinamen...
Reposted by Jonathan Fulton
1/I’ve obtained a farewell note a person in the human rights bureau sent out to his colleagues after being fired from the State Department today. A few tidbits from it:
July 11, 2025 at 6:44 PM
1/I’ve obtained a farewell note a person in the human rights bureau sent out to his colleagues after being fired from the State Department today. A few tidbits from it:
Got some fantastic summer reading in the mail today - recent books by @valinasr.bsky.social and @elhamfakhro.bsky.social.
July 11, 2025 at 4:24 PM
Got some fantastic summer reading in the mail today - recent books by @valinasr.bsky.social and @elhamfakhro.bsky.social.
Key takeaways from Li's visit to Egypt, as well as Iran and BeiDou satellites and a joint energy transition fund for Oman. Subscribe to the newsletter to get up to speed on China-MENA.
open.substack.com/pub/chinamen...
open.substack.com/pub/chinamen...
China’s Cairo Visit: What Li Qiang’s Trip Signals for Egypt, the Arab League, and the Region
Also: Iran and BeiDou satellites, a joint energy transition fund with Oman
open.substack.com
July 11, 2025 at 1:24 PM
Key takeaways from Li's visit to Egypt, as well as Iran and BeiDou satellites and a joint energy transition fund for Oman. Subscribe to the newsletter to get up to speed on China-MENA.
open.substack.com/pub/chinamen...
open.substack.com/pub/chinamen...
