Asia and the Gulf have deepened their interdependence over the past decade, particularly in energy, trade, investment, and technology. Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations are strengthening ties with Asian countries like China, India, Japan, South Korea, and ASEAN, fostering mutual economic growth. These partnerships are driven by shared goals including economic diversification, energy security, and the advancement of emerging technologies like AI, renewable energy, and electric vehicles. Growing Asian-Gulf ties are strategically important amid global and regional challenges.

The latest Asia Business Council survey shows firms are worried about politics increasingly encroaching on business and driving potential decoupling. Energy is the top concern amid high prices and the continuing fallout from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Against a backdrop of electricity shortages in China’s most important provincial economy, a report of a possible radiological leak from China’s Taishan nuclear reactor is raising questions about safety and transparency of information.