Hong Kong Institute for the Humanities and Social Sciences, The University of Hong Kong

China’s deepening ties with the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) in the last decade, spurred by the Belt and Road Initiative, have fostered the rise of Chinese private charities in the region. These charities come in two forms: overseas branches of mainland Chinese NGOs and grassroots initiatives within overseas Chinese communities, with Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, and Palestine being the primary recipients of Chinese charitable aid. Existing research identifies three key drivers for the global expansion of Chinese charities: state encouragement aligning with geopolitical and soft power goals, resource influx from the BRI, and internal competition mirroring Western NGO expansion. Through case studies of Chinese charities operating in Muslim-majority Arab countries, this paper examines the factors influencing their emergence and growth, with a particular emphasis on the often-neglected role of religion. The study aims to understand the motivations, strategies, and impact of these Chinese charities within the complex MENA geopolitical landscape. It further seeks to shed light on a new moral framework emerging within China’s middle class and private charitable organizations, despite constraints on civil society by the state.