Saudi Arabia’s MULTIPOLAR Strategy - Washington Arms the Saudis as China Expands Economic Influence

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► Join on Substack: https://www.worldaffairsincontext.com ► Watch content ad-free: https://www.patreon.com/LenaPetrova ► Subscribe to the channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrbT82fJGrSRXkNaxE7aYPQ/join ► Support the channel: ▫️PayPal: https://paypal.me/LenaPetrovaChannel ▫️Buy me a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/lenapetrova ▫️Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/LenaPetrova ► Let's connect: ▫️ X: https://x.com/LenaPetrovaOnX ▫️Telegram: https://t.me/LenaPetrovaOnTelegram ► Watch more content: ▫️YouTube - World Affairs In Context: https://www.youtube.com/@UCrbT82fJGrSRXkNaxE7aYPQ ▫️YouTube - Behind The Numbers - Business, Taxes & Personal Finance: https://www.youtube.com/@UCqbOWG3guHo_LZVRyLb46kA ► Discounts & Offers for Subscribers: ▫️ExpressVPN - Channel's subscribers get 4 MONTHS FREE to protect internet privacy: https://www.expressvpn.com/lena ▫️Optery - remove your personal data from online data brokers: https://get.optery.com/lena 📣 Like, share, and subscribe to World Affairs In Context & turn on notifications to stay updated. *** Saudi Arabia is rewriting the rules of global diplomacy. Once defined by oil wealth and U.S. security guarantees, the kingdom is now positioning itself as a multi-aligned power—simultaneously deepening economic ties with China, strengthening military cooperation with the United States, and exploring a new role within the BRICS bloc. This video breaks down how Riyadh is transforming from a regional heavyweight into a global middle power, capable of reshaping the balance of influence across the Middle East. As the world moves away from fossil fuels, Saudi Arabia faces an existential challenge: oil still makes up nearly 80% of its economy, while neighbors like the UAE have diversified to less than 25%. For Riyadh, expanding partnerships—especially with China—is essential. Beijing has become the kingdom’s top trading partner, driving over $110 billion in bilateral trade and mediating the 2023 Saudi-Iran diplomatic breakthrough. China sees Saudi Arabia as a gateway to the Middle East; Saudi Arabia sees China as leverage in an increasingly multipolar world. But despite its growing ties with Beijing, Riyadh hasn’t turned away from Washington. The U.S. remains the backbone of Saudi defense, supplying 80% of the kingdom’s military hardware. This was underscored by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s historic White House visit, where discussions included civil nuclear cooperation, F-35 sales, and a trillion-dollar Saudi investment package. Washington’s designation of Saudi Arabia as a Major Non-NATO Ally marks a deeper shift toward a distributed regional strategy—one where Qatar provides diplomacy, Israel provides technology, and Saudi Arabia anchors hard-power stability. This video explores how Saudi Arabia is navigating U.S.–China rivalry to maximize its own influence, why multi-alignment is becoming the defining strategy of the 21st-century Middle East, and what the end of the unipolar era means for global geopolitics. #SaudiArabia, #SaudiGeopolitics, #MiddleEastPolitics, #USChinaRivalry, #SaudiUSRelations, #SaudiChinaRelations, #Vision2030, #MohammedBinSalman, #MBS, #SaudiDiplomacy, #MiddleEastGeopolitics, #BRICS, #SaudiBRICS, #USForeignPolicy, #ChinaForeignPolicy, #MiddleEastStrategy, #SaudiDefense, #USMilitaryAlliance, #ChinaSaudiTrade, #SaudiIranDeal, #GlobalPowerShift, #MultipolarWorld, #InternationalRelations, #Geopolitics2025, #SaudiIsraelRelations, #F35Sales, #OilPolitics, #EnergyGeopolitics, #MiddleEastSecurity, #SaudiEconomicReform, #GlobalDiplomacy, #GreatPowerCompetition