Briefings de l'Ifri - Qatar and the US-China Rivalry: The Dilemmas of a Gulf Monarchy Briefings de l'Ifri, November 9, 2021
Publié le 09/11/2021
Chinese President Xi Jinping and the Emir of Qatar Tamim Al Thani
Credits: 360b, Drop of Light / Shutterstock
Like its neighbors in the Arabian Peninsula, Qatar finds itself increasingly confronted with a difficult dilemma: while its economy is looking to the East, more specifically towards China, the security and stability of the country still depend on the United States.
- The intensification of Qatar and China's economic relations has resulted in more cooperation on the diplomatic level and even, more discreetly, on the military level.
- Doha has not, however, conducted a strategic shift towards Beijing. Chinese arms sales to Qatar are still dwarfed by those of the Qatari army's two main suppliers, the United States and France.
- Contrary to what recent geopolitical developments might suggest on a surface level, US-Qatar relations have not deteriorated but have grown stronger over the last few years.