{"id":8267,"date":"2024-04-04T08:42:06","date_gmt":"2024-04-04T08:42:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/geopoliticalcompass.com\/?p=8267"},"modified":"2024-04-04T08:43:57","modified_gmt":"2024-04-04T08:43:57","slug":"the-saudi-arabia-china-relationship-at-a-crossroad-a-neoclassical-realist-analysis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/geopoliticalcompass.com\/?p=8267","title":{"rendered":"The Saudi Arabia-China Relationship at a Crossroad: A Neoclassical Realist Analysis"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Authors: <\/b>Xiaolin Duan, Shafi Aldamer<\/span><\/p>

Affiliation: <\/b>The Chinese University of Hong Kong (Shenzhen, Guangdong, China), King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (Dhahran, Saudi Arabia)<\/span><\/p>

Organization\/Publisher:<\/b> Asian Politics and Policy\/ Wiley Online Library<\/span><\/p>

Date\/Place: <\/b>January 27, 2022\/ Hoboken, New Jersey (USA)<\/span><\/p>

Type of Literature: <\/b>Analysis<\/span><\/p>

Number of Pages:<\/b> 14<\/span><\/p>

Link:<\/b> https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/10.1111\/aspp.12619?af=R<\/span><\/a><\/p>

\u00a0<\/p>

Keywords:<\/b> Saudi Arabia, China, and Neo-Realism<\/span><\/i><\/p>

\u00a0<\/p>

Brief:<\/b><\/p>

Drawing upon a neoclassical realist approach, the article attempts to answer its key question: how do the synergies and tensions of the systematic and unit-level factors that govern the Sino-KSA sphere shape both countries\u2019 behavior? Riyadh and Beijing have a substantial economic partnership in many aspects, not the least of which is the declared \u201ccomprehensive strategic partnership.\u201d Yet, some concerns exist, stemming from, <\/span>inter alia<\/span><\/i>, Iran, the US\u2019s changing energy policies, and China\u2019s push to diversify its energy demand. The article emphasizes that a neoclassical realist analysis, as opposed to Kenneth Waltz\u2019s structural realism, incorporates systematic changes, but also unit level-factors. Starting with systematic factors, the article highlights the favorable historical trajectory that has paved the way for a Sino-KSA rapprochement, largely driven by the end of the Cold War. Shared economic interests grew over the next decades – China became KSA\u2019s largest economic partner, while KSA was China\u2019s largest crude oil supplier in 2002-2016. However, recent systemic changes have shaken that partnership. Those are, the article suggests, the \u201cThucydides Trap\u201d with the decline of the US\u2019s hegemony, the US\u2019s changing energy policy, Sino-Iran\u2019s diplomatic relationships, and China\u2019s desire to escape US hegemony by escaping the US-controlled strait of Malacca. On a unit-level, the article pinpoints three variables. First, the Muslim ethnic minority question, arguing that China and KSA have reached an understanding on that matter, signaled by MBS\u2019s visit to Beijing in 2019. Then comes transactional relations, where the article focuses on energy, trade, and investments. For instance, the article shows that some of China\u2019s energy\/economic policies have been problematic to KSA, such as trying to establish the yuan as the global reserve currency. Further, the article alludes to the \u201c1+2+3\u201d approach that China adopted for the Arab World, including KSA. Additionally, the article notes that China\u2019s BRI and Saudi Vision 2030 have a space of convergence.\u00a0 Lastly, regional developments have shown rapprochement and divergence as relates to Syria and Iran respectively. Notably, Iran remains a complicated dilemma (that the article questionably under-emphasizes): Between the KSA as its best ME economic partner, and Iran as a bargaining chip with the US, who will China put over? The article concludes that the Sino-KSA relationship will continue to be ruled by hedging on both sides. As China tries to diversify its political\/economic foothold, the KSA will further develop its economic interests with China, while maintaining its security interests with the US.<\/span><\/p>

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By: <\/b>Hamza Amer, <\/span>CIGA Research Assistant<\/span><\/i><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Authors: Xiaolin Duan, Shafi Aldamer Affiliation: The Chinese University of Hong Kong (Shenzhen, Guangdong, China), King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (Dhahran, Saudi Arabia) Organization\/Publisher: Asian Politics and Policy\/ Wiley Online Library Date\/Place: January 27, 2022\/ Hoboken, New Jersey (USA) Type of Literature: Analysis Number of Pages: 14 Link: https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/10.1111\/aspp.12619?af=R \u00a0 Keywords: Saudi Arabia, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":8268,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[40],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8267","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-arabian-peninsula"],"blocksy_meta":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"featured_image_urls":{"full":["https:\/\/geopoliticalcompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/634ea32aaa056chinasanew.jpg",699,393,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/geopoliticalcompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/634ea32aaa056chinasanew-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/geopoliticalcompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/634ea32aaa056chinasanew-300x169.jpg",300,169,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/geopoliticalcompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/634ea32aaa056chinasanew.jpg",699,393,false],"large":["https:\/\/geopoliticalcompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/634ea32aaa056chinasanew.jpg",699,393,false],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/geopoliticalcompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/634ea32aaa056chinasanew.jpg",699,393,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/geopoliticalcompass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/634ea32aaa056chinasanew.jpg",699,393,false]},"author_info":{"info":["CIGA 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