Recently, the relationship between China and Saudi Arabia has been on an unprecedented trajectory of warmth and engagementObservations made across various media platforms underscore this development, which is supported by a series of meaningful events.

On October 13, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Transport and Logistics, Saleh, announced a significant expansion project at King Salman International Airport in Riyadh, which will host a 4 square kilometer Saudi-China Special Economic ZoneThis new area is set to emphasize the flourishing sectors of manufacturing, logistics, and trade.

The news rapidly gained traction online, with some netizens interpreting it as a Chinese "foothold" in Saudi Arabia

Comparisons were even made to the United States' military bases in the region, which, while somewhat exaggerated, undeniably reflects a heightened public awareness of the shifts in bilateral ties.

Then, on November 13, another significant announcement related to Saudi Arabia captured global attentionThe Chinese Ministry of Finance successfully issued $2 billion in sovereign debt in Riyadh, marking China's first issuance of dollar-denominated bonds overseas in three years and indicating a growing cooperation between the two nations.

For many Chinese internet users, these developments were exhilarating given Saudi Arabia's stature as a leading power in the Middle East

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Historically, Saudi Arabia has maintained close ties with the United States while simultaneously holding the world's largest oil reserves.

As such, if Saudi Arabia were to establish a degree of separation from the U.Sand deepen collaboration with China, this would undoubtedly enhance China's influence in the Middle Eastern regionSpeculation even emerged about the possibility of Saudi Arabia considering the use of the Chinese yuan for its oil trade settlements, an idea that, while distant, ignites rich imaginations and discussions.

However, the intricate nature of international relations often complicates what appears straightforward

Just as excitement was building over an apparent warming of ties between China and Saudi Arabia, new developments from Saudi Arabia later this month doused that enthusiasm with a dose of cold reality.

On December 4, the China Trade Relief Information Network reported that Saudi Arabia had issued a final ruling imposing anti-dumping duties on a concrete modifier made from naphthalene sulfonate imported from China and Russia, a decision that would introduce a five-year anti-dumping tax on the affected products.

Anti-dumping duties, while perhaps less familiar to some, are a common tool in international trade designed to protect domestic industries from the negative impacts of low-priced foreign imports by imposing additional tariffs on those products.

In this case, Saudi Arabia's move clearly aims to boost its tariff barriers to reduce the volume of these foreign products sold in its market, thus safeguarding the health of its domestic industries.

The new duties target six specific products, four of which are directly related to China and could see tariffs as high as 34%. Additionally, the reimposed duties extend to the countries of origin and imports, thus complicating matters further for any transshipment transactions that cannot avoid incurring additional taxes.

It's important to note that this isn’t the only challenge China faces in the international trade arena; even longstanding ally Russia has taken several underhanded actions against Chinese enterprises in trade.

Initially, Russia announced adjustments to its taxation policy on imported vehicles

While not an outright increase in tariffs, this policy effectively raised the costs of imported cars by increasing scrapping taxes, which could see rates rise to between 70% and 85%.

With trade with Western countries virtually severed, Russia has now become China’s largest exporter of automobiles, meaning that the new policy primarily targets Chinese automobile products.

An even more surprising development occurred on December 1 when Russia’s furniture and woodworking association announced that the government had decided to levy higher tariffs on furniture components imported from China, increasing rates from 0% to 55.65%.

It’s interesting to note that while European countries also export similar products to Russia, their tariff rates were adjusted by only 10%, a stark contrast to the rates imposed on Chinese goods.

Does this series of events indicate that we are surrounded by hypocritical allies? This perspective feels overly pessimistic to me.

The complex nature of interactions between nations makes it difficult to simplify relationships into “friends” or “foes.” As the saying goes, “Only interests are eternal, not friendships.” This notion resonates powerfully within the realm of international relations.

Whenever interests align, nations can sit together to collaborate; yet, when conflicts arise, even former allies may turn against each other in an instant.

When interests converge, bridging gaps can become a reality, leading to fruitful collaborations

However, circumstances can swiftly change, and what remains constant is the pursuit of maximizing interests.

Thus, there's no pressing need to inject excessive personal emotions into international relationsOn the global stage, every country is striving for the maximization of its interests—a pursuit that is entirely understandable.

For China, it’s crucial to focus on enhancing its comprehensive national strength and international competitiveness.

Of course, this does not mean turning a blind eye to unfair practices in international trade