China's Contribution To The Development Of Oil-Based Arab Economies Through The Belt And Road Initiative

Zakić, Katarina and Stanojević, Nataša (2026) China's Contribution To The Development Of Oil-Based Arab Economies Through The Belt And Road Initiative. In: China in World and Regional Politics. History and Modernity. Institute of China and Contemporary Asia of the Russian Academy of Sciences (ICCA RAS), pp. 332-343. ISBN 978-5-8381-0529-5

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Abstract

Economic cooperation between China and Arab economies has progressed steadily over the last two decades. Countries in the Gulf region, which are primarily oil-based economies, are facing substantial challenges in diversifying their markets and preparing for future development. In order to support their respective national development strategies, these countries are seeking partners that can contribute to realization of their strategic goals. China became one of the key partners of these countries, as its Belt and Road Initiative is complementary to the development goals of the Arab nations. The collaboration between China and oildependent Arab nations has been realised through trade, investment projects, and the enhancement of production capabilities. This research analyses whether the Chinese initiative has benefited the specific economic development of the Gulf countries, namely Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, and Oman, while identifying the nature of those benefits. The analysis reveals that while the greatest progress has been made in terms of investment projects, there has been less progress in trade relations. Production capabilities remain the least developed part of the collaboration, even though they were targeted through these initiatives. At the same time, it is important to point out that the achieved results were accomplished during a global pandemic and a high level of geopolitical instability, both of which significantly disrupted global economic development. Despite these problems, a foundation for economic collaboration has been established, providing a framework for both sides to plan their future cooperation.

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