Aligning China’s Belt and Road Initiative with Saudi Arabia’s 2030 Vision: Opportunities and Challenges

Abstract

Based on an examination of mutual perceptions between China and Saudi Arabia toward each other’s development strategy, especially through the lens of government officials, journalists, and scholars, this article argues that great progress has been achieved in key areas of strategic alignment between China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and Saudi Arabia’s 2030 Vision, including policy coordination, infrastructure connectivity, unimpeded trade, financial integration, and people-to-people exchanges. Meanwhile, political, economic, security and social risks remain prominent in the process of China-Saudi strategic alignment which need to be managed by appropriate measures.

Keywords

• Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)
• Saudi Arabia
• 2030 Vision
• strategic alignment
• risk management