Recently, the inaugural ASEAN-China-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, was an important moment for the Global South’s geopolitical development. The three summits in September saw China join Southeast Asian and Arabian countries, seeking to deepen their political, economic, and strategic bonds. Because of President Donald Trump’s recent trip to the Gulf, the summit signals that China wants to increase its presence in the GCC countries, become a key player in Gulf states, and build stronger ties beyond its usual areas of influence.

Trade between China and GCC countries reached nearly $280 billion in 2023, reflecting growing interdependence.

China’s dealings with the Gulf Cooperation Council nations, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman, have been increasing for more than 20 years. The region near the Gulf provides nearly four in every ten barrels of China’s imported crude, with GCC countries meeting about one-third of its energy needs. Trade between China and countries in the GCC in 2023 was worth almost $280 billion, underlining how the economies depend on each other even more.

Besides energy, China’s activities in the Gulf now involve infrastructure, technology, and telecommunications, all part of Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Between 2013 and today, China has spent $60 billion in GCC nations on port, railway, industrial park, and smart city projects, mainly in the UAE and Saudi Arabia. The BRI is designed to include the GCC in a longer corridor linking the region’s main ports and logistics centers to western China and nearby seas. Many industrial zones and special economic zones in China are built by Chinese firms, making it much easier for trade and technology to move between countries.

The summit is important because it includes members of ASEAN, the GCC, and China and highlights a change in Global South partnership, reflecting the move toward cooperation and diplomacy outside the Western-led global system. Since 2020, ASEAN, which accounts for around $4.7 trillion in annual GDP and 670 million people, has been China’s biggest trading partner. China-ASEAN bilateral trade broke through the $850 billion threshold in 2023, showing that their economy is still thriving.

Southeast Asia and the Gulf have a lot in common: both are centers of economic expansion, receive a large share of their income from overseas trade and oil, and host rapidly growing cities with young populations. Both Saudi Arabia and the UAE are pushing national visions to move away from relying on oil. For Saudi Arabia, it is Vision 2030; for the UAE, it is the Centennial Plan 2071. China, the GCC, and ASEAN are meeting to promote economic integration by improving trade, building more infrastructure, boosting digital cooperation, and exchanging cultural ideas.

China has invested over $60 billion in infrastructure projects across GCC nations since 2013.

The summit provides the opportunity for different countries to agree on international matters, encourage connections between private firms, and boost innovation growth on both sides. The two countries are united in wanting to maintain a peaceful region, address terrorism, and help achieve sustainable development goals. The summit, happening only weeks after President Trump visited Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, and other Gulf countries, marked the signing of arms deals worth more than $100 billion and investments exceeding $50 billion. The US is widely respected as a security partner by GCC countries, but Trump’s trip also pointed out fluctuating promises and the risk of world instability.

By engaging at the summit, China aims to prove to the GCC countries that it seeks to cooperate economically and support development, not produce new military alliances. Unlike Western types of diplomacy, Beijing mainly focuses on developing mutually useful trade, lending money for infrastructure, and giving technology in exchange for better relations. Furthermore, by hosting this summit, China hopes to improve its “Asian Century” concept by linking leading Asian and Middle Eastern nations into a unified block of influence and secure vital supply lines and markets for decades ahead.

With the ASEAN-GCC-China summit, several areas where cooperation can thrive are opening up. Transactions and partnerships in trade and investment will probably grow as the GCC’s combined wealth funds reach over $2.5 trillion, and China has a large industrial base. Partnering in energy, renewables, digital developments, and smart cities has tremendous value. Such a summit might encourage the building of new trading systems, lowered tariffs, and new protection policies, all of which help each participant.

In the effort to move away from oil, which makes up much of their economies, GCC countries could find it extremely beneficial to team up with China on solar, wind, and hydrogen technology. Almost a third of solar panels around the world are made in China, as are almost half of wind turbines. With collective action, projects in the Gulf could be progressed very quickly, as both Saudi Arabia and the UAE have invested heavily in renewable energy.

ASEAN has become China’s largest trading partner, with bilateral trade surpassing $850 billion in 2023.

Greater digital linkage will enhance ASEAN-GCC cooperation in AI, fintech, cybersecurity, and 5G, with China as a leading innovator and supplier. Cultural and educational exchanges foster mutual understanding, while security dialogues on counterterrorism and maritime issues could deepen collaboration. The summit offers GCC alternatives beyond the West and secures China’s energy and Belt and Road interests amid shifting global dynamics after President Trump’s Gulf visit.

In short, the summit serves both purposes of increasing cooperation among many nations and confirming China’s role and presence in the GCC region. This event counterbalances the increased attention the U.S. has given to the Gulf after Trump’s recent visit, which is believed to be part of the wider effort against China’s rise in the region. Through closer ties with ASEAN and GCC nations, China is showing it is essential, helping protect its interests in the Gulf as global powers shift. It shows that alliances and influence in the Global South are realigning due to increased economic pragmatism, which alters the usual role of Western-led diplomacy.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author. They do not represent the views, beliefs, or policies of the Stratheia.