Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1
PhD in international relations and university lecturer
2
Assistant Professor of Political Science, Department of Political Science, Faculty of Law and Political Science, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran
Abstract
With the emergence and expansion of China's strategic influence in West Asia and the changing balance of political and economic power in the region, the need to review the cooperation patterns of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates with Beijing has become prominent. This study, using a descriptive-analytical approach, examines the dimensions and contexts of the formation of new power arrangements and evaluates China's role in creating opportunities and, at the same time, the challenges facing trilateral cooperation between these three key actors. The central question is how Beijing's influence and policies affect the formation and expansion of cooperation capacities as well as the obstacles on this path. The research hypothesis is based on the fact that China's increasing role in the economic, infrastructural, and technological fields, in addition to providing a platform for convergence, is simultaneously faced with the continuation of geopolitical competition and pressure from trans-regional powers, which prevents the full exploitation of cooperation capacities. The findings suggest that China has established its position as a balancing actor by deepening economic relations, investing in energy, technology, and infrastructure, and exploiting regional gaps and rivalries. In this context, Iran has benefited from the opportunity to reduce sanctions pressure and strengthen strategic depth, while Saudi Arabia and the UAE have gained more maneuverability by diversifying their foreign policy and accessing capital and technology. Overlapping interests, geopolitical rivalries, and external pressures remain important obstacles to deepening cooperation. Overall, the dynamics and complexity of power interactions in West Asia have become increasingly intertwined and dependent on China’s role and structural changes in the international system.
Keywords