Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Look Middle, Look East! The Future of GCC Strategic Partnerships

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
The 2017 Gulf Crisis

Part of the book series: Gulf Studies ((GS,volume 3))

  • 509 Accesses

Abstract

The individual members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have long-term bilateral strategic relations with the superpowers: US, China, Russia, and the EU. Yet these superpowers are currently spending much of their political and financial resources addressing their own domestic and internal dilemmas, leaving fewer of these resources for the GCC. As such, and particularly during the Gulf Crisis, GCC members should foster relations with other stable states in order to ensure continuity in areas such as diplomacy, trade, and even security. I suggest that the relations should be established at the regional organization-to-state level and formalized into long-term strategic partnerships. The GCC is advised to (1) look to middle powers and (2) look east. Specifically, the middle-power countries of South Korea, India, and Japan are all potentially strong allies in the long-term strategic plans of GCC members. By developing strategic partnerships with these three countries, I contend (1) both bilateral and multilateral political, economic, and even security relations may develop; (2) there are shared stakes among GCC members and these middle powers to maintain and increase stability and peace in the GCC region; and (3) the long-term partnerships will provide key allies for tough future GCC negotiations with superpowers.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 109.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 139.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 139.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Al Shayji, A. (2014a). The GCC-US relationship. ME Policy, 21(3), 60–69.

    Google Scholar 

  • Al Shayji, A. (2014b). Kuwait-US relationship—A small state alliance with a major power. In R. Looney (Ed.), Handbook of US-Middle East relations (pp. 450–464). Abingdon: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Al-Asaad, H., Al-Mohaisen, A., & Sud, S. (2006). GCC power grid. Retrieved November 12, 2018, from https://www.researchgate.net/.

  • Al-Lawati, H. A. R. (2018). Oman, Japan relations pick up momentum. Retrieved March 25, 2020, from https://www.omanobserver.om/oman-japan-relations-pick-momentum/.

  • Al-Tamimi, N. (2012). China-Saudi Arabia relations (Disc paper). Durham University, HH Sh., Nasser Al-Sabah Prog., Durham.

    Google Scholar 

  • Al-Tamimi, N. (2013). China-Saudi Arabia relations, 1990–2012. Abingdon: Routledge.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Anderton, C., & Carter, J. (2001). The impact of war on trade. Journal Peace Research, 38(4), 445–457.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Antkiewicz, A., & Momani, B. (2009). Pursuing geopolitical stability through interregional trade. European Integration, 31(2), 217–235.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Arab News. (2018). Ambassador urges Indian engineers to seize vision 2030’s opportunities. Arab News. Retrieved September 27, 2018, from https://www.arabnews.com.

  • Arab Times. (2018). Korean companies can be worthy partners to achieve Kuwait 2035. Arab Times. Retrieved July 13, 2018, from https://www.arabtimesonline.com.

  • Baabood, A. (2003). Dynamics and determinants of the GCC states’ foreign policy, with special reference to the EU. The Review of International Affairs, 3(2), 254–282.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bale, T. (2002). Field-level CFSP: EU diplomatic cooperation in third countries (Vol. 1) (EFPU working paper 2002/1). London: LSE.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barboza, D. (2010). China passes Japan as second-largest economy. NYT.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bennett, S., & Stam, A. (2000). Research design and estimator choices in the analysis of interstate dyads. Journal of Conflict Resolution, 44(5), 653–685.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Blanco, L. F. (2016). The functions of ‘strategic partnership’ in European Union foreign policy discourse. Cambridge Review of International Affairs, 29(1), 36–54.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cockerham, G. B. (2010). Regional integration in ASEAN. East Asia, 27(2), 165–185.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Copeland, D. C. (2014). Economic interdependence and war. New Jersey: Princeton University Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Cottey, A., & Forster, A. (2013). Reshaping defense diplomacy. UK: Routledge.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • De Luca, A. (2013). Defense diplomacy and the Arab spring. Air & Space Power Journal: Afrique et Francophonie, 4(2), 13–24.

    Google Scholar 

  • EU Memorandum. (2004). The EU, the Mediterranean and the Middle East—A longstanding partnership (MEMO/04/151). Brussels.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ferreira-Pereira, L. C., & Vieira, A. V. G. (2016). Introduction: The European Union’s strategic partnerships. Cambridge Review of International Affairs, 29(1), 3–17.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fürtig, H. (2004). GCC-EU political cooperation. British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies, 31(1), 25–39.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gilpin, R. (1981). War and change in world politics. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Gulf Times. (2018). More Korean companies to operate in Qatar. Gulf Times. Retrieved August 13, 2018, from https://www.gulf-times.com.

  • Hancock, T. (2018). China censorship moves from politics to economics. Fin Times. Retrieved November 14, 2018, from https://www.ft.com/content/1daaaf52-e32c-11e8-a6e5-792428919cee.

  • Harstad, B. (2007). Harmonization and side payments in political cooperation. The American Economic Review, 97(3), 871–889.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hegre, H., Oneal, J. R., & Russett, B. (2010). Trade does promote peace. Journal of Peace Research, 47(6), 763–774.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hirschman, A. O. (1980). National power and the structure of foreign trade (Vol. 105). California: University of California Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Holslag, J. (2011). The elusive axis. Journal of Common Market Studies, 49(2), 293–313.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hyun-woo, N. (2017). Korea-Bahrain ties will be more future-oriented. The Korea Times. Retrieved October 1, 2017, from https://www.koreatimes.co.kr.

  • Ikenberry, G. J. (2011). The future of the liberal world order. Foreign Affairs, 90(3), 56–68.

    Google Scholar 

  • International Monetary Fund. (2017). World economic outlook update. Retrieved November 17, 2018, from https://www.imf.org.

  • Joint Statement. (2018). Joint statement on deepening and strengthening strategic partnership between Japan and the United Arab Emirates (Japan MoFA). Retrieved April 29, 2018, from https://www.mofa.go.jp/files/000359557.pdf.

  • Kapoor, R. (2017). India and UAE. Khaleej Times. Retrieved September 29, 2017, from https://www.khaleejtimes.com.

  • Kay, S. (2000). What is a strategic partnership? Problems of Post-Communism, 47(3), 15–24.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Khaleq, A (1999). The Gulf Cooperation Council. In M. Hudson (Ed.), ME dilemma (pp. 150–170). New York: Columbia University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Khan, G. A. (2018). Saudi Arabia, South Korea making progress on 40 vision 2030 projects. Arab News. Retrieved October 5, 2018, from https://www.arabnews.com.

  • Kleiner, J. (2001). Korea, a century of change. World Scientific (Vol. 6). London.

    Google Scholar 

  • KUNA. (2003). GCC Secretary general. Kuwait News Agency. Retrieved March 25, 2020, from https://www.kuna.net.kw/.

  • Laksmana, E. A. (2012). Regional order by other means? Asian Security, 8(3), 251–270.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Levy, J. S. (1989). The diversionary theory of war: A critique. Handbook of War Studies, 1, 259–288.

    Google Scholar 

  • Magen, A. (2006). The shadow of enlargement. Columbia Journal of European Law, 12(2), 495–553.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mansfield, E. D., & Pevehouse, J. C. (2000). Trade blocs, trade flows, and international conflict. International Organization, 54(4), 775–808.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mansfield, E. D., Pevehouse, J. C., & Bearce, D. H. (1999). Preferential trading arrangements and military disputes. Security Studies, 9(1), 92–118.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maoz, Z. (2009). The effects of strategic and economic interdependence on international conflict across levels of analysis. American Journal of Political Science, 53(1), 223–240.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maoz, Z., Kuperman, R. D., Terris, L., & Talmud, I. (2006). Structural equivalence and international conflict. Journal of Conflict, 50(5), 1–26.

    Google Scholar 

  • McGregor, S. (2018). U.S. budget deficit jumps to $100 billion at start of fiscal year. Bloomberg. Retrieved November 13, 2018, from https://www.bloomberg.com.

  • Mearsheimer, J. J. (1990). Back to the future: Instability in Europe after the cold war. International Security, 15(1), 5–56.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Medeiros, E. S. (2005). Strategic hedging and the future of Asia-Pacific stability. Wash Quarterly, 29(1), 145–167.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • MEI. (2015). The GCC states and the viability of a strategic military partnership with China. ME Institute. Retrieved March 17, 2015, from https://www.mei.edu.

  • Mytelka, L. K. (1991). Strategic partnerships. London: Pinter.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nonneman, G. (2007). EU-GCC relations. Journal of Social Affairs, 23(92), 13–33.

    Google Scholar 

  • Oneal, J. R., & Russett, B. (2001). Clear and clean. International Organization, 55(2), 469–485.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Oneal, J. R., Russett, B., & Berbaum, M. L. (2003). Causes of peace. International Studies Quarterly, 47(3), 371–393.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Partrick, N. (2011). The GCC: Gulf state integration or leadership cooperation? Kuwait programme on development, governance and globalization in the Gulf States (research papers 19). London, UK: LSE.

    Google Scholar 

  • Peter, S. K. (2018). Panasonic will support ‘New Kuwait vision’ in variety of sectors. Kuwait Times. Retrieved November 17, 2018, from https://news.kuwaittimes.net/.

  • Pierre, A. J. (2002). Coalitions: Building and maintenance. Institute for the Study of Diplomacy, Georgetown University, DC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pollins, B. M. (1989). Does trade still follow the flag? The American Political Science Review, 83(2), 465–480.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Regilme, S. S. (2011). The Chimera of Europe’s normative power in East Asia. Central European Journal of International and Security Studies, 5(1), 69–90.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rosser, J. B., & Rosser, M. V. (2011). The new institutional economy and the new traditional economy in Korea. In Y. B. Choi (Ed.), Institutional economics and national competitiveness (pp. 193–204). London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Roy-Chaudry, R. (2018). India and the Gulf region: Building strategic partnerships. The International Institute for Strategic Studies. Retrieved August 29, 2018 from https://www.iiss.org.

  • Ryan, C. R. (1998). Jordan and the rise and fall of the Arab Cooperation Council. The Middle East Journal, 52(3), 386–401.

    Google Scholar 

  • Salmon, T. C. (1992). Testing times for European Political Cooperation. International Affairs, 68(2), 233–253.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sandholtz, W., & Sweet, A. S. (1998). European integration and supranational governance. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Schneider, G., & Cederman, L. E. (1994). The change of tide in political cooperation. International Organization, 48(4), 633–662.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Senate Report. (2018). DAV18G88. 115th congress, 2nd session. Retrieved November 14, 2018, from https://www.foreign.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/11-14-18%20RM%20Rubio%20Uyghur%20Bill%202.pdf.

  • Seo, J. (2018). South Korea-Gulf relations and the Iran factor. In J. Fulton & L. C. Sim (Eds.), External powers and the Gulf monarchies (pp. 171–187). London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Singer, J. D. (1990). Accounting for international war in the twentieth century. Olin lecture series. U.S. Air Force Academy.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, M. E. (1998). Rules, transgovernmentalism, and the expansion of European Political Cooperation. In European Integration and Supranational Governance. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Snitwongse, K. (1998). Thirty years of ASEAN. The Pacific Review, 11(2), 183–194.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Snyder, G. (1997). Alliance politics. New York: Cornell University Press, Ithaca, NY.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spolaore, E., & Wacziarg, R. (2016). War and Relatedness. Review of Economics and Statistics, 98(5), 925–939.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stacey, K. (2018). Indian GDP Growth overtakes China. Financial Times. Retreived March 25, 2020, from https://www.ft.com/content/c2410bae-1c82-11e8-956a-43db76e69936.

  • Sun, Y. (2012). Syria: what China has learned from its Libya experience. Asia Pacific Bulletin, 152. East-West Center.

    Google Scholar 

  • The Economist Intelligence Unit. (2018). Cyber attacks: Is the GCC prepared? The Economist. Retrieved April 3, 2018, from https://www.eiu.com/.

  • The National. (2018). UAE and South Korea celebrate completion of Barakah's first nuclear reactor. The National. Retrieved March 26, 2018, from https://www.thenational.ae.

  • Times of Oman. (2018). Oman, South Korea sign pact on smart cities. Retreived 25 March, 2020, from https://timesofoman.com/article/138785/oman/oman-south-korea-sign-pact-on-smart-cities.

  • Toumi, H. (2018). GCC, UK endorse UN envoy’s road map for Yemen reace. Gulf News. Retrieved 25 March, 2020, from https://gulfnews.com/world/gulf/yemen/gcc-uk-endorse-un-envoys-road-map-for-yemen-peace-1.1941919.

  • Tsai, M. Y. (2003). From adversaries to partners? Westport, CT: Praeger.

    Google Scholar 

  • UNODA. (2013). Letters addressed to the secretary-general confirming support for declaring the Middle East a region free from weapons of mass destruction. United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs. Retrieved March 25, 2020, from https://www.un.org.

  • Vasquez, J. A. (1995). Why do neighbours fight? Journal of Peace Research, 32(3), 277–293.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wallensteen, P. (1981). Incompatibility, confrontation, and war. Journal of Peace Research, 18(1), 57–59.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wilkins, T. S. (2008). Russo-Chinese Strategic Partnership. Contemporary Security Policy, 29(2), 358–383.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wong, R. (2012). Model power or reference point? Cambridge Review of International Affairs, 25(4), 669–682.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • World Development Indicators. (2019). Washington, DC: World Bank. Retrieved March 25, 2020, from https://data.worldbank.org.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of International Relations, College of Arts and Sciences, American University of Kuwait, Salmiya, Kuwait

    Shareefa Al-Adwani

Authors
  1. Shareefa Al-Adwani
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Shareefa Al-Adwani .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Qatar University, Doha, Qatar

    Mahjoob Zweiri

  2. Qatar University, Doha, Qatar

    Md Mizanur Rahman

  3. Qatar University, Doha, Qatar

    Arwa Kamal

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2021 Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Al-Adwani, S. (2021). Look Middle, Look East! The Future of GCC Strategic Partnerships. In: Zweiri, M., Rahman, M.M., Kamal, A. (eds) The 2017 Gulf Crisis . Gulf Studies, vol 3. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-8735-1_12

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation