Web Article

Energy and Security: China in The Persian Gulf

China’s engagement with the Arab Gulf States and Iran poses delicate security challenges
Following the Arab Uprisings in 2011, the Arab Gulf States increasingly have looked East for new economic and political partners, in particular China. Usually the USA has been the principal provider of security in the Gulf but the politics of the Barack Obama administration caused worries among the Arab States. At the same time, the oil and gas rich Arab states are in need of diversifying their economies encouraging them to look for strong investors. China with its expanding economy and increasing need of energy has willingly stepped in. However, following the huge investments, China also need to secure its interests, which drags it into the complicated security politics in The Persian Gulf including the rivalry between Iran and Saudi Arabia. DIIS researches Yang Jiang and Lars Erslev Andersen discuss China’s challenges in the Persian Gulf in an analysis published by China Policy Institute at University of Nottingham.

DIIS Experts

Lars Erslev Andersen
Migration and global order
Senior Researcher
+45 91325476
Yang Jiang
Migration and global order
Senior Researcher
China in the Persian Gulf
A delicate balance in global security