China's Digital Footprint Grows in the Middle East & North Africa.

The article China’s Digital Footprint Grows in the Middle East & North Africa discusses how China’s Digital Silk Road (DSR) — the digital component of its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) — is expanding technological influence across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). It explains Beijing’s strategy of exporting digital infrastructure and technology through partnerships, memoranda of understanding, and major projects involving companies such as Huawei and Alibaba Cloud. Key developments include contracts for smart city systems, 5G networks, data centers, and space cooperation. The piece also outlines geopolitical ramifications, including concerns from Western actors about data influence, sharp power, and implications for local governance and security.