Kristie Neo: Middle East & China Partnership Acceleration, Secret Power Corridors Reshaping Global Markets & AI Megaprojects – E646

Jeremy Au and Kristie Neo break down how China, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia are forming new economic corridors that reshape trade, capital movement, and technology strategy. They describe how China and the Gulf now work together at a scale that surpasses Gulf–West flows, how the UAE and Saudi Arabia use bold planning to diversify their economies, and why Western reporting still misses the magnitude of this shift. They examine how Chinese overcapacity fuels Middle Eastern mega projects, how sovereign funds on both sides deepen cross investment, and how AI, data centers, and energy abundance position the Gulf as a future compute hub. Kristie also outlines the gap between vision and execution in projects like NEOM, while Jeremy reflects on how these moves echo earlier global cycles.

00:55 Trade flows flipped direction. China Gulf commerce surpassed Gulf West trade in 2024 because Chinese overcapacity met Gulf demand for infrastructure, construction, and technology.

02:18 Media exposure hides the scale of change. Western and Chinese outlets lack global reach in covering Middle East China ties, which keeps the shift underreported.

08:56 UAE applied the Singapore playbook. Pro business policies, low tax systems, and investor friendly rules drew global hedge funds, family offices, and operators to Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

14:51 Qatar’s World Cup showed the model. Gulf capital combined with Chinese labor and construction speed to complete major stadium projects on compressed timelines.

25:32 Sovereign funds deepened two way flows. Middle Eastern allocators increased exposure to Chinese assets as both sides diversified away from US denominated risk.

40:12 AI infrastructure became a national priority. Gulf governments invested heavily in data centers and chip capacity by pairing cheap energy with large land availability.

54:23 NEOM revealed ambition and friction. The 120 kilometer enclosed city concept captured Saudi Arabia’s vision but faced delays that showed how difficult execution can be.

Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/kristie-neo-accelerating-middle-east

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