Crucial yet Limited: China’s Role in the Saudi-Iranian Rapprochement

Abstract

The peace agreement between Saudi Arabia and Iran, signed in Beijing in March 2023, not only appeased the seven-year rivalry between the two Gulf powers, but also highlighted China’s emerging role in the reconciliation. This article aims to assess China’s role in this ‘diplomatic triumph’ (as it has often been portrayed by the Chinese media) by situating its role within a three-level perspective. I suggest that China’s involvement in the Saudi-Iranian rapprochement should be analysed objectively, cautioning against attributing an overly expansive role to China in this diplomatic process, while acknowledging China’s crucial role in promoting the final mediation agreement. The article argues that the primary motivations for the rapprochement stemmed from a genuine desire on the part of both Riyadh and Tehran to normalise relations, with Iraq and other regional powers providing the framework for the negotiations to move forward and China stepping in as a suitable and decent guarantor. This article aims to approach China’s role through seeing Beijing’s economic influence in the region as the basis on which it was able to play a mediating role.