The Dragon’s Reach: China’s Rise as an Imperial Power in the Middle East

Hafizullah Emadi

Springer Nature Switzerland, Jan 3, 2026 - Political Science - 210 pages

This book provides an in-depth examination of China’s diplomatic endeavors in the Middle East, tracing the evolution of its approach since the founding of the People’s Republic of China. Through a rigorous textual analysis of published literature from Chinese government sources, as well as Western research institutions and academia, this study reveals a significant thesis: China has strategically employed a soft power approach to reposition itself as a rising imperial power, directly challenging the long-standing dominance of the United States in the Middle East.

About the author

Hafizullah Emadi is a scholar and consultant writing on institutional and political development in the Middle East and Central Asia. Emadi taught at the University of Hawaii system, was a fellow at the East-West Center, International Research and Exchange, IREX and the Woodrow Wilson Center. He was a member of the Editorial Board of the Afghanistan Journal, Academy of Sciences in Kabul, Afghanistan.

Bibliographic information

• Title: The Dragon’s Reach: China’s Rise as an Imperial Power in the Middle East
• Author: Hafizullah Emadi
• Edition: illustrated
• Publisher: Springer Nature Switzerland, 2026
• ISBN: 3032060370, 9783032060372
• Length: 210 pages
• Subjects: Political Science / International Relations / General; Political Science / International Relations / Trade & Tariffs; Political Science / Security (National & International)