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<article xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xmlns:ali="http://www.niso.org/schemas/ali/1.0/" article-type="research-article" dtd-version="1.2" xml:lang="en"><front><journal-meta><journal-id journal-id-type="publisher-id">RUDN Journal of World History</journal-id><journal-title-group><journal-title xml:lang="en">RUDN Journal of World History</journal-title><trans-title-group xml:lang="ru"><trans-title>Вестник Российского университета дружбы народов. Серия: Всеобщая история</trans-title></trans-title-group></journal-title-group><issn publication-format="print">2312-8127</issn><issn publication-format="electronic">2312-833X</issn><publisher><publisher-name xml:lang="en">Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia named after Patrice Lumumba (RUDN University)</publisher-name></publisher></journal-meta><article-meta><article-id pub-id-type="publisher-id">47908</article-id><article-id pub-id-type="doi">10.22363/2312-8127-2025-17-4-566-583</article-id><article-id pub-id-type="edn">JITOXZ</article-id><article-categories><subj-group subj-group-type="toc-heading" xml:lang="en"><subject>Modern World</subject></subj-group><subj-group subj-group-type="toc-heading" xml:lang="ru"><subject>Современный мир</subject></subj-group><subj-group subj-group-type="article-type"><subject>Research Article</subject></subj-group></article-categories><title-group><article-title xml:lang="en">The position and role of Qatar in China’s Middle East policy</article-title><trans-title-group xml:lang="ru"><trans-title>Позиция и роль Катара в политике Китая на Ближнем Востоке</trans-title></trans-title-group></title-group><contrib-group><contrib contrib-type="author"><contrib-id contrib-id-type="orcid">https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5237-7385</contrib-id><name-alternatives><name xml:lang="en"><surname>Seyedi Asl</surname><given-names>Seyedmohammad</given-names></name><name xml:lang="ru"><surname>Сейеди Асл</surname><given-names>Сейедмохаммад</given-names></name></name-alternatives><bio xml:lang="en"><p>PhD in International Relations, Research Fellow, Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs</p></bio><bio xml:lang="ru"><p>PhD, научный сотрудник, факультет мировой экономики и мировой политики</p></bio><email>sseyediasl@hse.ru</email><xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff1"/></contrib><contrib contrib-type="author"><contrib-id contrib-id-type="orcid">https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6757-3338</contrib-id><name-alternatives><name xml:lang="en"><surname>Zabardast Alamdari</surname><given-names>Shalaleh</given-names></name><name xml:lang="ru"><surname>Забардаст Аламдари</surname><given-names>Шалале</given-names></name></name-alternatives><bio xml:lang="en"><p>PhD in International Relations, Independent Researcher</p></bio><bio xml:lang="ru"><p>PhD, независимый исследователь</p></bio><email>zabardastsh@gmail.com</email><xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff2"/></contrib><contrib contrib-type="author"><contrib-id contrib-id-type="orcid">https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1807-1694</contrib-id><contrib-id contrib-id-type="spin">8761-7364</contrib-id><name-alternatives><name xml:lang="en"><surname>Sadygzade</surname><given-names>Murad S.</given-names></name><name xml:lang="ru"><surname>Садыгзаде</surname><given-names>Мурад Салех оглы</given-names></name></name-alternatives><bio xml:lang="en"><p>Laboratory Research Assistant, Center for Arabic and Islamic Studies, Institute of Oriental Studies, Russian Academy of Sciences ; Visiting Lecturer, School of Regional Studies, Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs, HSE University</p></bio><bio xml:lang="ru"><p>лаборант-исследователь, Центр арабских и исламских исследований, Институт востоковедения РАН ; приглашенный преподаватель департамента зарубежного регионоведения факультета мировой политики и мировой экономики, Национальный исследовательский университет Высшая школа экономики</p></bio><email>sadygzade@95gmail.com</email><xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff1"/><xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff3"/></contrib></contrib-group><aff-alternatives id="aff1"><aff><institution xml:lang="en">HSE University</institution></aff><aff><institution xml:lang="ru">Национальный исследовательский университет Высшая школа экономики</institution></aff></aff-alternatives><aff id="aff2"><institution></institution></aff><aff-alternatives id="aff3"><aff><institution xml:lang="en">Institute of Oriental Studies, Russian Academy of Sciences</institution></aff><aff><institution xml:lang="ru">Институт востоковедения РАН</institution></aff></aff-alternatives><pub-date date-type="pub" iso-8601-date="2025-12-31" publication-format="electronic"><day>31</day><month>12</month><year>2025</year></pub-date><volume>17</volume><issue>4</issue><issue-title xml:lang="en"/><issue-title xml:lang="ru"/><fpage>566</fpage><lpage>583</lpage><history><date date-type="received" iso-8601-date="2026-01-03"><day>03</day><month>01</month><year>2026</year></date></history><permissions><copyright-statement xml:lang="en">Copyright ©; 2025, Seyedi Asl S., Zabardast Alamdari S., Sadygzade M.S.</copyright-statement><copyright-statement xml:lang="ru">Copyright ©; 2025, Сейеди Асл С., Забардаст Аламдари Ш., Садыгзаде М.С.</copyright-statement><copyright-year>2025</copyright-year><copyright-holder xml:lang="en">Seyedi Asl S., Zabardast Alamdari S., Sadygzade M.S.</copyright-holder><copyright-holder xml:lang="ru">Сейеди Асл С., Забардаст Аламдари Ш., Садыгзаде М.С.</copyright-holder><ali:free_to_read xmlns:ali="http://www.niso.org/schemas/ali/1.0/"/><license><ali:license_ref xmlns:ali="http://www.niso.org/schemas/ali/1.0/">https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0</ali:license_ref></license></permissions><self-uri xlink:href="https://journals.rudn.ru/world-history/article/view/47908">https://journals.rudn.ru/world-history/article/view/47908</self-uri><abstract xml:lang="en"><p>The evolving dynamics of global foreign policy have highlighted economic cooperation as a critical factor in international relations post-Cold War. China’s increasing involvement in the Middle East, particularly in the Persian Gulf, has emerged as a significant development. In fact, China’s international prominence was largely attributed to its need for petroleum imports. However, as the 21st century unfolded, China’s global influence has grown substantially, particularly in the Middle East and North Africa, where it has expanded its economic, diplomatic, strategic, and military engagements. Considering that China-Qatar relations have intensified across political, economic, commercial, and energy sectors, the primary aim of this study is to elucidate the strategic significance of Qatar within China’s foreign policy framework. It seeks to demonstrate how Qatar’s role extends beyond merely providing natural gas, exploring the multifaceted nature of their bilateral relations. The research uses a descriptive-analytical methodology and analyzes diplomatic, economic, and security aspects of the bilateral relationship by focusing on recent developments and shifts in the geopolitical landscape. The findings reveal that Qatar’s strategic value to China extends beyond its role as an energy supplier. The relationship between the two nations is characterized by a deepening network of mutual dependency, encompassing cooperation in energy, investment, and security. This deepening of connection will make the future of China-Qatar relations, as evidenced by this growing cooperation, closer together. And the increasing importance of bilateral relations between China and Qatar for the future will be highlighted by this strengthening cooperation. Additionally, Information and research data are collected through library studies, the Internet, and quarterly journals.</p></abstract><trans-abstract xml:lang="ru"><p>В условиях трансформации глобальной внешней политики и усиления роли экономического сотрудничества в международных отношениях возрастающее присутствие Китайской Народной Республики (КНР) на Ближнем Востоке, в частности в регионе Персидского залива, представляет собой значимый феномен. С XXI в. наблюдается существенное расширение экономического, дипломатического, стратегического и военного влияния КНР, особенно в странах Ближнего Востока и Северной Африки, что в значительной степени обусловлено потребностью Китая в импорте углеводородов. Настоящее исследование посвящено изучению стратегической значимости государства Катар во внешней политике КНР, в частности, установлению многоаспектного характера двусторонних отношений, выходящего за рамки роли Катара как поставщика природного газа. Проанализированы дипломатические, экономические аспекты сотрудничества в области безопасности в контексте двусторонних отношений с акцентом на актуальные события и изменения в геополитическом ландшафте. Результаты свидетельствуют о том, что стратегическая ценность Катара для КНР состоит не только в его роли экспортера энергоресурсов, демонстрируя углубление взаимозависимости, охватывающей энергетическое сотрудничество, инвестиционные потоки и взаимодействие в сфере безопасности. Растущее сотрудничество сблизит Китай и Катар, а также подчеркнет важность этих отношений для будущего. Источниковая база исследования включает материалы библиотечных фондов, онлайн-ресурсы и данные периодических изданий.</p></trans-abstract><kwd-group xml:lang="en"><kwd>foreign policy</kwd><kwd>energy resources</kwd><kwd>energy cooperation</kwd><kwd>investments</kwd><kwd>security</kwd></kwd-group><kwd-group xml:lang="ru"><kwd>внешняя политика</kwd><kwd>энергоресурсы</kwd><kwd>энергетическое сотрудничество</kwd><kwd>инвестиции</kwd><kwd>безопасность</kwd></kwd-group><funding-group><award-group><funding-source><institution-wrap><institution xml:lang="ru">Данная работа подготовлена при грантовой поддержке факультета мировой экономики и мировой политики НИУ ВШЭ.</institution></institution-wrap><institution-wrap><institution xml:lang="en">Support from the Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs at HSE University is gratefully acknowledged.</institution></institution-wrap></funding-source></award-group></funding-group></article-meta><fn-group/></front><body></body><back><ref-list><ref id="B1"><label>1.</label><citation-alternatives><mixed-citation xml:lang="en">Derbenev AS, Petrunina ZV. 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