Since the launch of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in 2013, many scholars have acknowledged its transformative effect on international relations. Notably, Southeast Asian states have been found...Show moreSince the launch of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in 2013, many scholars have acknowledged its transformative effect on international relations. Notably, Southeast Asian states have been found to pursue a foreign policy strategy of strategic hedging between China as a rising power, and the United States (US) as their long-time ally. However, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region also plays a key role in the execution of this New Silk Road. Despite this, there is a gap in the literature regarding how these states may respond to the rise of China through this new initiative. Egypt, which holds a significant position in the transportation routes due to its dominance of the Suez Canal, is a key player in this initiative, but remains overlooked in discussion about the BRI’s role in the new world order. Therefore, this thesis aims to investigate to what extent Egypt is using the BRI and increased Chinese influence to hedge against the US. Drawing on the emerging theory of strategic hedging, this study assesses the theory’s applicability to the case study of Egypt as a secondary power in the MENA region. Through qualitative analysis of key economic and military factors, as well as expert interviews, this analysis provides two main findings. Firstly, Egypt is pursuing a hedging strategy towards the US through increased economic engagement with China. Secondly, this strategy is characterized by economic hedging, a less competitive form of hedging that allows Egypt to maintain relatively more positive relations with the US. Finally, this thesis suggests that further research should focus on detailed data regarding Egyptian domestic factors, and the applicability of hedging to other BRI participants in the MENA region, to provide a more comprehensive exploration of strategic hedging in International Relations (IR) theory.Show less
This thesis analyzes the policies adopted by the PRC toward the GCC in the context of the decline of US hegemony in the 21st century through the prism of neoclassical realism. The PRC, in response...Show moreThis thesis analyzes the policies adopted by the PRC toward the GCC in the context of the decline of US hegemony in the 21st century through the prism of neoclassical realism. The PRC, in response to the evolving global distribution of power, has expanded relations with the GCC. Domestic political factors within the PRC itself, however, are weighed heavily against engaging in balancing behavior due to the immense costs it would impose. Therefore, the PRC has adopted the policy of strategic hedging in the GCC to maximize gains while minimizing the potential for confrontation with the US. By tracing the causal mechanism in neoclassical realism that translates changes in relative power to the formulation of foreign policy, this thesis proves there is a clear causal link in this case between power deconcentration and the adoption of strategic hedging behavior. This strategy has been remarkably successful, fulfilling the needs of the PRC while simultaneously working within a framework amenable to the US. In this manner, the PRC’s GCC policy complements, rather than competes with, US interests in the region.Show less
