ABSTRACT
China’s growing oil import dependence and rising concerns about energy security have brought its interests and those of the United States into closer contact. The Persian Gulf is the commercial and geopolitical centre of gravity of this relatively new and consequential dimension of Sino-American relations. Has China adopted pragmatic policies towards this vital yet volatile region? Which, if any, aspects of Sino-Gulf relations are likely to present a challenge to the United States, either in the immediate or in the longer term?
