中国、智慧城市和中东：该地区和美国的选择（英）

Since the 2017 National Security Strategy was issued, the United States has been explicit that it is engaged in a strategic competition with China in the political, economic, and military domains. The United States contends that issues at stake include a free and open international eco-nomic system, the free flow of information, and challenges to U.S. security and prosperity.1 At the heart of this competition is technology—specifically, “compe-tition to develop and deploy foundational technologies that will transform our security and economy.”2 This competition is multidimensional and can best be gauged using such metrics as commercial success, technology adoption, and the consequences of that adoption.3Although much of that competition has focused on artificial intelligence, advanced semiconductors, and quantum computing, it has also involved deploy-ment of information and communication technology (ICT). This competition is exemplified by bipartisan U.S. efforts to keep Huawei technology out of allied- and partner-country fifth-generation (5G) telephony systems.4HOWARD J. SHATZ, LEV NAVARRE CHAO, MAGGIE HABIB, OLUWATIMILEHIN SOTUBOChina, Smart Cities, and the Middle EastOptions for the Region and the United StatesExpert InsightsPERSPECTIVE ON A TIMELY POLICY ISSUEAugust 20252Within the broad area of ICT development, so-called smart cities present a valuable case study of this competition. Smart city is a term in increasing usage but for which there is no universally agreed defini-tion. We adopt the definition put forward in a report for the European Parliament’s Committee on Industry, Research and Energy, describing a smart city as “a city seeking to address public issues via ICT-based solutions on the basis of a multi-stakeholder, municipally based partnership.”5This paper focuses on China’s involvement in smart cities in the Middle East and North Africa (to which we refer collectively as the Middle East) (see Figure 1). U.S. concerns about China’s involvement in smart cities apply worldwide.6 For example, the United States established a U.S.–Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Smart Cities Partnership in 2018 as part of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Strategy.7The Middle East merits attention for several rea-sons.8 From the U.S. point of view, the Middle East has emerged as a central site of great power competition: The United States, China, and Russia are all active there and vying for influence.9 The United States is the lead-ing security provider for the region. Additionally, it has identified Iran as a country meriting special attention when it comes to U.S. security.10 From the point of view of countries in the region, smart cities have the potential to improve the lives of residents of the Middle East. In this sense, the spread of smart cities could be helpful to the United States, which has wanted peace, stability, and development in the region.11 But at the same time, China’s involvement could complicate the relationship between the