FROM IDEOLOGICAL FOE TO STRATEGIC ALLY: AN ANALYSIS OF SAUDI ARABIA-CHINA RELATIONS IN THE INTERNATIONAL SYSTEM AFTER THE COLD WAR

Authors : Engin Koç, Besra Toktaş
Pages : 244-268
Doi:10.53092/duiibfd.1602117
View : 86 | Download : 68
Publication Date : 2025-05-30
Article Type : Research Paper
Abstract :This study will examine the relations between oil-rich Saudi Arabia, which strives to be the dominant power in the Middle East, and China, which is gradually becoming a rising global power in international politics, in the post-Cold War period. The relations between the two will be analyzed through the lens of Neo-Realist Perspective and South-South Cooperation. The radical changes in the world order in the 1970s and the subsequent political and structural crises in the 2000s have significantly impacted the relations between China and Saudi Arabia. The fact that China became an oil-import-dependent country with its increasing energy needs after 1990 has been an important factor in shaping the relations between China and the Arab Gulf countries. After the 11 September 2001 attacks and the harsh policies of the US in the region, as well as the increasing influence of Iran in the Gulf, China has been perceived by countries in the region not only as an economic stakeholder but also as a strategic actor. Riyadh, considering China as a reliable partner that does not interfere in its internal affairs, has strengthened relations in various areas, with political relations being at the forefront. In this sense, the Arab Spring period, which is a significant turning point for both international and regional politics, is also crucial in terms of the relations between the two countries. This study will analyze China-Saudi Arabia relations, which gradually increased after 1990, within the context of post-Cold War international politics, the impact of the 9/11 attacks on the relations between the two countries, the Arab Spring, popular movements, and the new political dynamics emerging in the region from a Neo-Realist perspective.
Keywords : Çin, Suudi Arabistan, Çin-Suudi Arabistan İlişkileri, Neorealizm

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