China in the Mashriq: New Best Friend

... COVID-19 pandemic and after the 2020 Beirut port bombing, as well as food aid to countries along the BRI route. For Lebanon, as for many other countries around the world, China is the largest trading partner. As reported by China’s Foreign Ministry, China-Lebanon bilateral trade amounted to USD 2.58 billion in 2022, and from January to July 2023, the countries exchanged goods worth USD 1.447 billion. Lebanese firms actively participate in Chinese trade fairs: the China International Import Expo (CIIE),...