UAE’s Balancing Strategy Between the United States and China

With its thriving economy, well-crafted policies, diverse and lively multicultural society, and advanced infrastructure, the United Arab Emirates plays a significant role in the Middle East. It has become strategically and economically important to both the United States and China, and both countries have established strong strategic partnerships with the Gulf state. As the UAE is a small yet ambitious state, both powers are crucial to its strategy for maintaining security and diversifying its economy. Thus, to secure its interests, the UAE has adopted a strategy of balancing its relationships with Washington and Beijing. This article examines the strategy and aims to predict its direction in light of the increasing competition and rivalry between the two global powers. The analysis is part of a special issue examining the responses of Gulf countries to rising Sino-American competition, edited by Andrea Ghiselli, Anoushiravan Ehteshami, and Enrico Fardella.