PNN – The rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and China is one of the most significant geopolitical developments of the contemporary era; a development that has not only brought the two countries’ relations into a new phase but has also impacted global power dynamics.
In recent years, one of the most important developments in the global system has been the remarkable closeness between China and Saudi Arabia; a development that has not only reshaped the traditional Middle Eastern equations but also has deeper roots in the structure of great power competition. Relations between Beijing and Riyadh, which began in the 1990s, were initially limited to energy cooperation, but today have evolved into a multi-layered strategic partnership. Chinese President Xi Jinping’s historic visit to Riyadh in December 2022 and the signing of a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership agreement marked the beginning of a phase indicating that the two countries intend to expand their cooperation beyond the economic sphere into areas such as technology, security, infrastructure, culture, and regional politics. This development coincides with Saudi Arabia’s relative decline in trust toward Washington’s policies and China’s effort to expand its global influence, making this partnership a major challenge for the United States in the new era of great power competition.
Within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, China needs stable access to energy resources and secure trade routes, while Saudi Arabia, with its oil-based economy and ambitious Vision 2030 program, seeks to attract foreign investment, transfer technology, develop new energy sources, and establish a political balance between East and West. This alignment of interests has caused the bilateral relations to grow at both strategic and operational levels in a way unprecedented over the past decades. The cooperation currently underway between China and Saudi Arabia directly and indirectly affects U.S. interests, and from Washington’s perspective, represents a multi-dimensional threat—economic, security-related, geopolitical, and financial. The United States views this cooperation not merely as a simple bilateral relationship but as part of China’s broader effort to reshape the global order.
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China and Saudi Arabia seek to expand cooperation in various fields
The Growing Level of China-Saudi Relations
Over the past three decades, China-Saudi relations have grown significantly, now ranking among the world’s most complex and multi-dimensional bilateral partnerships. Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest oil exporter, now supplies about 18 percent of China’s oil imports. This level of energy dependence has continuously deepened the relations between the two countries. Additionally, Chinese companies have implemented dozens of large-scale projects in Saudi Arabia, ranging from building low-consumption nuclear reactors to developing 5G networks, constructing in Neom, investing in petrochemical industries, and establishing joint industrial parks.
Politically, the two countries cooperate based on the principle of “non-interference”; a principle that holds significant importance for Saudi Arabia against Western human rights pressures and provides political support for China on issues like Xinjiang and Hong Kong. Unlike the United States, China has never critically intervened regarding the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, the Yemen war, or human rights issues in Saudi Arabia, making Riyadh view relations with Beijing as a stable and low-cost support.
Another key point is the security cooperation between the two countries, which dates back to the purchase of Chinese ballistic missiles in the 1980s. This cooperation has now reached a more advanced stage, including drone production in Saudi Arabia, joint military exercises, intelligence sharing, and the development of military capacities. Exercises such as Blue Sword 2025 demonstrate that Beijing and Riyadh are not merely selling weapons but moving toward security convergence. By relying on Chinese technology, Saudi Arabia seeks to localize part of its military capabilities, reducing its traditional dependence on American weapons.
U.S. Economic Concerns over China-Saudi Cooperation
One of the main areas of U.S. concern is the impact of China-Saudi cooperation on the global economic and financial order. Since the 1970s, the foundation of the dollar’s power has been the “petrodollar system,” under which global oil is predominantly traded in dollars, ensuring worldwide demand for the currency. In recent years, China has sought to conduct part of its energy trade in yuan. When Xi Jinping proposed using yuan for oil transactions during his 2022 visit to Saudi Arabia, Washington perceived it as a direct threat. If Saudi Arabia, as the world’s largest oil exporter, conducts even part of its oil sales to China in yuan, this could gradually undermine the petrodollar system and challenge the dollar’s role in global trade.
Moreover, the presence of Chinese companies in major Saudi projects has raised additional concerns for the United States. Companies such as Huawei and Sinopec have captured significant portions of Saudi Arabia’s sensitive markets, previously dominated by Western firms. This shift deprives American companies of major economic opportunities and directly affects Washington’s economic influence. Joint development projects in solar, hydrogen, and transportation infrastructure under Saudi Vision 2030 have turned China from an ordinary partner into a key player in the country’s future economy. This trend has heightened U.S. concern over a potential decline in its economic influence over one of its most important Middle Eastern allies.
Geopolitical and Security Threats to the United States
Beyond economics, China-Saudi cooperation poses serious geopolitical and security challenges for the United States. Since the 1940s, the U.S. has considered Saudi Arabia a pillar of its security order in the Middle East, and the Riyadh–Washington alliance was a primary tool of U.S. influence in the region. However, Saudi Arabia’s rapprochement with China challenges this position. Participation in Belt and Road projects, the creation of joint transport corridors, and Riyadh’s role as an energy hub connecting Asia, Africa, and Europe enable China to expand its influence from East Asia into the heart of the Middle East, creating a network of economic dependencies that directly shifts the regional balance of power.
In terms of armaments, China-Saudi collaboration is a significant challenge for Washington. Saudi Arabia has long been the largest purchaser of American weapons, but it now sources a substantial portion of its military needs from China, including combat drones that the U.S. was unwilling to provide due to export restrictions. The establishment of Chinese drone production lines in Saudi Arabia and the expansion of joint military cooperation indicate a decreasing traditional dependence on the U.S., a shift that could limit America’s control over the regional arms balance.
Global Implications of China-Saudi Relations for the United States
The expansion of China-Saudi relations is not merely a bilateral development but carries global implications, gradually reshaping the international order. This partnership presents a new model of relations between economic powers and developing countries, based on mutual economic interests, technological development, and political non-interference. This model is attractive to many countries; thus, Saudi support for China’s initiatives, including the Global Security Initiative, could enhance Beijing’s global standing. If more countries follow Saudi Arabia’s path and move toward using the yuan, the dollar’s role in the global economy could face serious challenges.
Furthermore, China’s increasing role in the Middle East complicates strategic competition between Beijing and Washington. The U.S. may be forced to adopt tougher policies to contain China’s influence, ranging from diplomatic pressure and sanctions to increased military presence in the region. This multidimensional competition is likely to extend to Africa, Asia, and the energy sector. The China-Saudi partnership also serves as a model for countries such as the UAE, Qatar, and even Turkey, which seek to balance East and West. If this trend continues, it could contribute to the formation of a multipolar order in which U.S. power is less dominant than in the past.