Pragmatic Economic Engagement between China and Saudi Arabia: Power, Interests, and the Sustainable Development

Abstract

In recent years, China–GCC relations have strengthened significantly, particularly in the economic domain, with growing trade and investment ties indicating a shift toward more structured and institutionalized partnerships. China has established itself as one of the Gulf Cooperation Council’s (GCC) most significant trading partners, not only through its substantial energy imports but also via its expanding investments across critical sectors, including infrastructure, advanced technology, and renewable energy. This relationship is underpinned by pragmatic considerations, as GCC states endeavor to diversify their external partnerships and mitigate their long-standing reliance on Western allies. At the same time, China views the Gulf region as a reliable energy source and a promising market for investments, especially within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative. However, this cooperative trajectory is not without potential challenges. Chief among them is the enduring alignment of Gulf states with traditional alliances—most notably their strategic relationship with the United States, which continues to serve as the primary security umbrella for the region. Such overlapping alliances raise serious questions about the sustainability of China-GCC relations within this complex web of geopolitical balances, particularly if great power interests come into conflict or external pressures emerge that could disrupt the cooperative momentum. Against this backdrop, the central question this paper addresses is whether political and economic pragmatism can provide a sufficient foundation for the long-term sustainability of China-Gulf relations amid an increasingly uncertain and polarized international environment. To answer this question, the study adopts pragmatist theory as a conceptual framework to interpret the foreign behavior of states beyond ideological commitments, and relies on in-depth interviews method to examine the features of this relationship.