China and the Arab Gulf: Rethinking a Strategic Relationship

In this Mapping Global China interview, Maria Adele Carrai speaks with Mohammed Alsudairi (King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies) about the evolution and future of China–Gulf relations. The conversation explores how political, economic, and infrastructural ties have transformed since the 1980s, and how Gulf states are actively shaping their engagement with China according to their own strategic priorities. What this interview covers The historical development of China–Gulf relations Energy as the main driver of early cooperation China’s growing role in infrastructure, finance, and technology Western critiques of “debt traps” and Chinese lending Gulf agency and how regional states leverage China Why narratives about China need to be rethought from the Gulf Future geopolitical and economic scenarios in a multipolar world Through concrete examples, Dr. Alsudairi discusses how Gulf countries reinterpret China’s presence on their own terms and why a nuanced understanding of “Global China” must incorporate regional perspectives rather than rely solely on Beijing-centered narratives.

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