Relations between China and the Arab Gulf states

China has been pursuing an ambitious foreign policy towards the six member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) for the last two decades. It has drawn closer to these countries in the areas of economic and security policy, while at the same time refusing to be drawn into regional rivalries or debates over strategic issues in the Middle East. The GCC states, for their part, see the countries of Asia – not only China, but also India, Japan and others – as key to their economic future, even as they continue to rely on the United States and other Western powers on matters related to security and defence.