Despite all these contributions, China had not been proportionately recognized as a responsible actor. The reasons are numerous. Unlike the US or other actors, China would always like to keep a low profile. China favors a low-profile culture. It is believed that actions speak louder than words, though it is not necessarily the case in today's international politics.

Additionally, China's role has been intentionally defamed by Western media. Any reasonable person can understand that China's investment in international oil and other sectors should benefit oil markets and local economies, but unfortunately China's investment had been widely reported in Western media as aggressive business expansion.

While the allegation is not legitimate, US expectations for China to play a bigger role is even more hypocritical. By claiming that China is a free-rider, the US actually means that China over-consumed the public-security goods provided by the US — although as mentioned, scholars from non-Western world do not see the US as a provider of public-security goods in the region.

When asked specifically how China should play a bigger role in the Middle East, American interlocutors can actually list very few besides expecting China to vote with the US in UN Security Council resolution. In other areas, as discussed, like economic investment and aid, China has actually been doing quite a lot.

Do they mean that China should send troops to replace US forces in the Middle East? The answer is definitely no, as American scholars would always say. It is certainly na?ve to expect that the US will give up its military presence and advantage in the region. Barack Obama's withdrawal from Afghanistan and Iraq by no way means abandonment of America's dominant position in the region.

Then do they mean that the Chinese army should fight with US forces in the Middle East? Or does the US mean to include the PLA within the security framework of the region dominated by the US? It is true that China will not likely send troops to intervene into the regional and domestic affairs in the region since China resolutely abides by the principle of non-intervention. But do Americans seriously mean that they will have their army to fight side by side with PLA? It is doubtful, since it is something not politically right for American troops to work with PLA.

It is nothing but hypocrisy to ask China not to be a free-rider and to take much more responsibility. According to statistics, the US has approximately 50 thousand troops stationed respectively in six Gulf Arab countries, Turkey Djibouti and Afghanistan. Kuwait, where there are 14,000 US troops, instead of Afghanistan or Iraq, has the largest number of US military personnel. If not hypocrisy, what it is asking other countries to play a bigger role in maintaining security while itself having the largest military presence.

All in all, the allegation of China as free-rider is not based on the ground situation but an outcome of propaganda defaming China in the region. This charge implies that China should play a bigger role in security issues, but China's contribution to the region is more than sufficient within the current global and regional context defined by US dominance. China together with international community certainly needs to work out more-inclusive mechanisms for better cooperation in security fields, but there is no basis for America's diplomatic rhetoric about China's current role in the Middle East.

Last but not least, the military role of external powers, especially those not within UN framework, is not necessarily welcomed by regional actors. And external powers, however strong they are, cannot necessarily solve the problems in the region.

The author is a columnist with China.org.cn. For more information please visit: http://china.org.cn/opinion/jinliangxiang.htm

This article was first published at Chinausfocus.com To see the original version please visit http://www.chinausfocus.com/peace-security/no-free-ride-in-middle-east/

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