TURKEY'S ROLE IN CHINA'S SOFT BALANCING STRATEGY IN THE MIDDLE EAST

China is pursuing a soft balancing strategy in the Middle East to achieve its economic targets and reap the benefits of oil reserves, challenging the predominance of the US in the region. As political and economic rivalry between the US and China accelerates in the Middle East, Turkey, an important regional actor, can help shift the balance of power toward China. In addition to Turkey pivotal role in the bargaining process over power, this article studies the soft balancing concept in the theoretical framework of international relations as well as the dynamics of China's soft balancing strategy against the predominance of the US in the region.