The Impact of China’s Belt and Road Initiative on the Balance of Power in the Persian Gulf

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Associate professor of Regional Studies, University of Tehran

2 PhD Student in Regional Studies, Faculty of Law and Political Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is widely recognized as one of the most significant developments of the contemporary era, shaping China's foreign relations and policies with various regions of the world since its launch in 2013. This study addresses a central question: how do the objectives and mechanisms of China's Belt and Road Initiative influence the balance of power between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)? Using an explanatory methodology and grounded in Waltz's balance of power theory, this research argues that the BRI—through its political (influence), economic (profit), and military-security (stability) objectives, along with its mechanisms of political (policy coordination), economic (unimpeded trade, infrastructure connectivity, and financial integration), and military-security (soft power) dimensions—exerts multifaceted impacts on the balance of power in the Persian Gulf. It shifts the Economic-Technical pre-balance in favor of GCC countries. The research adopts a deductive-inductive approach, employs a mixed-methods design (qualitative and quantitative), utilizes documentary data collection methods, and is conducted within a longitudinal temporal framework.

Keywords

References

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World Politics
Volume 14, Issue 3 - Serial Number 53
November 2025
Pages 111-140

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