Introduction
In addition to energy security, there is another reason for the importance of China’s economic diplomacy with the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, which is the important role of the Persian Gulf for the Belt and Road Initiative, which is also considered a vital corridor for China. In this regard, China has provided extensive investment contracts and has approved various political and economic agreements, all of which are in the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative and can be considered as the ultimate tool of China’s economic diplomacy in the Persian Gulf region. Accordingly, China has promoted infrastructure development, technical and industrial cooperation, and financial integration with the Gulf Cooperation Council countries. China has also launched new high-cost initiatives, such as the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and the Silk Road Fund, to strengthen the infrastructure of the Belt and Road Initiative.
Accordingly, a combination of political and economic considerations shapes China’s foreign policy in the Middle East in the 21st century. The pursuit of energy resources, the expansion of overseas markets, and investment opportunities, especially within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, are key drivers influencing China’s regional approach. At the same time, economic relations between China and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries have been enhanced through high-level political instruments such as visits and political forces. A political strategy serving the economy has become a feature of China’s economic diplomacy in the region. In other words, China’s economic diplomacy has been upgraded from a trade-centric one to trade, investment, and financial issues. China has consolidated its position as a great power, which shows that its economic activities in the Gulf region are based on its diplomacy, contributing to its overall geopolitical influence and position on the world stage. At the same time, it should be emphasized that China's growing ties with the Persian Gulf countries partly reflect its need to secure access to raw materials and energy resources, and the Persian Gulf's ports and free zones along the Arabian Peninsula are vital nodes in China's ambitious Belt and Road Initiative, facilitating trade and connectivity between Asia and Europe.
Research Objective
 This study aims to examine China's economic diplomacy towards the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, and the question is raised: what has been the trend of China's economic diplomacy with the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council countries and what changes has it made? The study hypothesizes that the trend of trade between China and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries has been on an upward trend, which reflects the efforts of both sides to improve the level of trade.
Methodology
Trend analysis is the research method of the article. A trend is a recognizable pattern of changes in a phenomenon that depicts how it changes over a specific period. Accordingly, trend analysis is data-based and is used to examine and identify different patterns and trends in data related to a topic. The main goal of trend analysis is to identify changes and movements in data over time to determine what changes have occurred in the trend of the topic under study. To conduct trend analysis, data is necessary, and in this regard, the trend of the variables under study in the period 2010 to 2022 has been cited. One of the most common methods of trend analysis is to design a graph of the desired trends, which, in addition to creating a visual effect, also enables the analysis process. One of the common methods for this is to use a line graph that displays the data as a continuous line.
Findings
1) The period from 2012 to 2022 is the best period for the trend studied, confirming that the GCC countries are currently at the top of crude oil exports to China; this trend is particularly evident since 2018, and the increase in exports after this year has not shown a downward trend. Saudi Arabia is the most important supplier of crude oil to China in the region, followed by Oman, Kuwait, the UAE, Qatar, and Bahrain. The chart below shows China’s energy import trend from the GCC countries as a crude oil exporting bloc.
2) The trend studied indicates a significant increase in Chinese investment in the GCC countries, especially since 2016. The UAE is the most important investment target country for China in the region, followed by Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. Qatar is in fourth place, and Oman and Bahrain are in the next ranks. In comparison to the beginning of the period under review, Qatar has seen a 330 percent increase in direct investment from China, Oman 225 percent, the UAE 1,430 percent, Saudi Arabia 750 percent, Kuwait 1,155 percent, and Bahrain 100 percent, which demonstrates China's special attention to the Gulf Cooperation Council countries for investment.
Results
 With the deepening of cooperation between China and the Gulf Cooperation Councils through the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, the possibility of realizing free trade agreements is increasing. In addition, all GCC countries are members of the World Trade Organization, which means that China and these countries are participants in various multilateral trade and investment agreements and have approved protection mechanisms for trade and investment between the two regions. The effect of this can also be traced in the trend of trade share.
Conclusion
 China’s economic diplomacy in the GCC countries is multifaceted and aims to advance the country’s economic interests: maintaining access to energy resources, expanding market access for trade and investment under the Belt and Road Initiative. The state of economic interaction between China and the GCC countries has expanded significantly in recent years. In addition, significant shifts towards more advanced and value-added economic activities such as investment in finance, tourism, and the digital economy have been noted.
In addition to the existing tensions between the countries in the region, which China has been able to influence through its diplomatic interactions, it is also worth mentioning the presence of the United States, which has long been the dominant and influential power in the GCC countries, and China’s presence in this region can increase the confrontation between the parties. In practice, China’s growing presence in the digital infrastructure of the GCC countries has forced Washington to put pressure on the Gulf countries.
All things considered, China's economic diplomacy has many attractions for the Gulf Cooperation Council. The most important of these is its abandonment of trade as a zero-sum game and emphasis on mutual benefits and win-win situations for both parties, which has promised a favorable international environment for China's trading partners.