The Gulf Cooperation Council countries have never been more active, or more influential, on the global stage than in 2025. Once content to operate within the security framework established by US presence in the region, GCC states, led by Saudi Arabia and the UAE, have developed independent foreign policy voices that engage pragmatically with the full spectrum of global powers and multilateral institutions.
OPEC+ and Global Energy Governance
Saudi Arabia’s role as the de facto leader of OPEC+, the expanded grouping of OPEC members plus Russia and other major oil producers, gives Riyadh extraordinary leverage over global energy prices. Production decisions made in OPEC+ meetings directly affect energy costs for every economy on earth, making Saudi Arabia and its Gulf allies among the most consequential actors in the global macroeconomic environment. The willingness to use this lever for both economic and geopolitical purposes has become a defining feature of Saudi foreign policy.
Multilateral Engagement
GCC states have deepened engagement with multiple multilateral frameworks simultaneously, a multi-alignment strategy that would have been politically difficult during the Cold War era but is increasingly viable in a more multipolar world. UAE participation in COP climate summits (Dubai hosted COP28 in 2023), Saudi Arabia’s G20 engagement, and Qatar’s role as a diplomatic facilitator (notably in the Taliban negotiations and various regional mediation efforts) all demonstrate the range of international functions GCC states have assumed.
The China Relationship
China’s role in the Gulf has grown substantially, extending well beyond energy trade. Chinese technology companies have won infrastructure contracts across the region. Chinese construction firms have participated in Vision 2030 projects in Saudi Arabia. The Belt and Road Initiative has connected Gulf port infrastructure to broader Chinese trade networks. GCC sovereign wealth funds have increased allocations to Chinese markets and companies. This deepening economic relationship creates diplomatic equilibrium with the traditional Western partnership, giving GCC states genuine strategic options.
For businesses, the GCC’s multi-aligned foreign policy creates an environment where commercial relationships with all major global powers are viable, and where companies that can bridge Western and Chinese commercial networks find a natural home in Gulf markets that are actively courting expertise from both directions.
Also Read: Middle East Geopolitics 2025: What Business Leaders Need to Know | Saudi Arabia on the World Stage: From G20 to Sports Mega-Events | GCC and the Evolving World Trade Order: How Gulf Nations are Navigating Global Shifts
