China's Strategy in the Gulf: Navigating Conflicts and Rivalries

"Houghton systematically unpacks Beijing's strategy in the Gulf…. Persistent rivalries and conflicts across the region will ensure that this work remains timely and relevant for years to come." -Robert Mogielnicki, Arab Gulf States Institute

China's foreign and security policy in the Gulf region has been characterized by the cultivation of strong positive relationships with all of the Gulf states, irrespective of their domestic politics and the ubiquitous rivalries between neighbors. Has this "hedging strategy" proven fruitful? Or has it had negative consequences?

Addressing this issue, Benjamin Houghton explores the contours of China's hedging strategy in the Gulf from the time of the 1979 Iranian revolution through early 2024.