Summary:

On Tuesday, 28 May 2024, Tunisian President Kais Saied, conducted an official visit to China to attend the 10th Ministerial Conference of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum. 

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During his opening ceremony speech, President Saied tackled questions related to the imbalances of the current world order and mirrored the “Global South” narrative promoted by China. He called for a new “Human Order” responsive to humanitarian crisis like the one occurring in Gaza and for more cooperation to alleviate common challenges. 

On Friday, 31 May 2024, Chinese President Xi Jinping, announced the establishment of a “Strategic Partnership” with Tunisia. He expressed Chinese willingness to reinforce cooperation in the fields of health services, renewable energy, agriculture, and tourism. He also mentioned the role Tunisia can play in the Belt and Road Initiative. 

In an implicit reference to the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) required conditions to bail out Tunisia, the Chinese President reiterated China’s support for the States’s pursuit of a development plan adapted to Tunisia’s specific conditions. 

Outlook: 

Tunisia is looking more to the East as criticism over its internal affairs is emanating from Western states. The visit to China highlights the current administration’s aim to rebalance its relations with traditional Western partners and benefit from a multilateral approach to diplomacy. 

While Tunisia is not likely to seek to replace its partnerships with Europe and the US, Chinese investments in Tunisia would mean more competition for Western firms operating in the country. 

China is actively working to enlarge its influence in the Southern Mediterranean and advance its global political and economic interests. 

For China, Arab countries and populations represent important pillars of its endeavor to broaden its economic and diplomatic influence beyond Asia. Chinese diplomats likely see significant benefit from the geographic positions of Arab states such as Tunisia, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates to advance the Belt and Road Initiative. 

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