A Critical Analysis of Renewable Energy Cooperation between China and Gulf States (Saudi Arabia and UAE): Addressing Structural Asymmetries and Strategic Objectives
(2025) SIMZ41 20251Graduate School
- Abstract
- This study explores the renewable energy cooperation between China and the Gulf countries, particularly Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, focusing on how this collaboration addresses underlying structural asymmetries. These asymmetries include China's technological advancements, institutional frameworks, and discursive power, as well as the Gulf's resource and capital endowments. Although existing literature has examined the China-Gulf renewable energy relationship, it often overlooks how both sides actively engage with and balance these technological, institutional, and discursive imbalances. Drawing on 26 official documents and 15 semi-structured interviews, the findings show that most stakeholders acknowledge these asymmetries.... (More)
- This study explores the renewable energy cooperation between China and the Gulf countries, particularly Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, focusing on how this collaboration addresses underlying structural asymmetries. These asymmetries include China's technological advancements, institutional frameworks, and discursive power, as well as the Gulf's resource and capital endowments. Although existing literature has examined the China-Gulf renewable energy relationship, it often overlooks how both sides actively engage with and balance these technological, institutional, and discursive imbalances. Drawing on 26 official documents and 15 semi-structured interviews, the findings show that most stakeholders acknowledge these asymmetries. However, rather than passively accepting them, both China and the Gulf states actively reframe these disparities. Chinese actors leverage their technological edge and centralized institutional structures to maintain control, while the Gulf states seek to counterbalance this by advancing regulatory frameworks, reshaping discourses, and diversifying their strategies to promotes a more multifaceted and strategic collaboration. The analysis underscores that structural asymmetries are not fixed, but instead represent a dynamic process of strategic negotiation, where both sides recalibrate their approaches, rearticulate narratives, and adapt to new conditions to advance their distinct priorities within the renewable energy sector. (Less)
- Popular Abstract (Chinese)
- 本研究探讨了中国与海湾国家（尤其是沙特阿拉伯和阿联酋）之间的可再生能源合作，重点关注此类合作如何解决潜在的结构性不对称问题。这些不对称包括中国的技术进步、制度框架和话语权，以及海湾国家的资源和资本禀赋。尽管现有文献已对中国与海湾国家的可再生能源关系进行了探讨，但往往忽视了双方如何积极应对并平衡这些技术、制度和话语上的不平衡。基于26份官方文件和15次半结构化访谈，研究结果表明，大多数利益相关者承认这些不对称现象。然而，中国和海湾国家并非被动接受，而是积极地重塑这些差异。中国行为体利用其技术优势和集中化的制度结构来保持控制，而海湾国家则试图通过改进监管框架、重塑话语体系和多元化战略来平衡这种不对称，以促进更加多层面和战略性的合作。分析强调，结构性不对称并不是固定的，而是代表战略谈判的动态过程，双方重新调整方法，重新阐述叙述，并适应新条件，以推进可再生能源领域内各自的不同优先事项。
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9198995
- author
- Yang, Wenlong LU
- supervisor
- organization
- course
- SIMZ41 20251
- year
- 2025
- type
- H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
- subject
- keywords
- Gulf States, Renewable Energy Diplomacy, Structural Asymmetry, Energy Geopolitics1, Technological Transfer, Sino-Gulf Relations, Hedging Policy.
- language
- English
- id
- 9198995
- date added to LUP
- 2025-06-25 11:23:24
- date last changed
- 2025-06-25 11:23:24
@misc{9198995,
abstract = {{This study explores the renewable energy cooperation between China and the Gulf countries, particularly Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, focusing on how this collaboration addresses underlying structural asymmetries. These asymmetries include China's technological advancements, institutional frameworks, and discursive power, as well as the Gulf's resource and capital endowments. Although existing literature has examined the China-Gulf renewable energy relationship, it often overlooks how both sides actively engage with and balance these technological, institutional, and discursive imbalances. Drawing on 26 official documents and 15 semi-structured interviews, the findings show that most stakeholders acknowledge these asymmetries. However, rather than passively accepting them, both China and the Gulf states actively reframe these disparities. Chinese actors leverage their technological edge and centralized institutional structures to maintain control, while the Gulf states seek to counterbalance this by advancing regulatory frameworks, reshaping discourses, and diversifying their strategies to promotes a more multifaceted and strategic collaboration. The analysis underscores that structural asymmetries are not fixed, but instead represent a dynamic process of strategic negotiation, where both sides recalibrate their approaches, rearticulate narratives, and adapt to new conditions to advance their distinct priorities within the renewable energy sector.}},
author = {{Yang, Wenlong}},
language = {{eng}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{A Critical Analysis of Renewable Energy Cooperation between China and Gulf States (Saudi Arabia and UAE): Addressing Structural Asymmetries and Strategic Objectives}},
year = {{2025}},
}