Trump's tariffs have influenced relations between Gulf countries and Asia.

The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is implementing new tariff restrictions that significantly impact global trade flows. This leads to increased political and economic ties between Gulf countries and Asia. The Asia House analytical center reports that the value of bilateral trade between the regions reached a record level of 512 billion dollars in 2022. It is projected that trade between Gulf countries and China will grow faster than with Western states, and by 2027, the trade volume with China will exceed the trade volume with the West.

This trend is already manifesting itself in the strengthening of diplomatic relations between Vietnam, the UAE, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Saudi Arabia. Regional agreements, such as the investment of the Saudi Public Investment Fund in the Malaysian company AirAsia and Indonesia's negotiations with the Kingdom to increase trade, are representative examples of this trend.

There is also significant development of trade among ASEAN countries and the Gulf Cooperation Council, particularly between the UAE and Indonesia. In 2022, the trade volume reached a peak level of 134 billion dollars. The ASEAN-GCC summit initiative, which was launched last year to increase cooperation between the regions, is also an important step in this direction.

Among the economic agreements recently concluded, it is worth highlighting the UAE's concession to the company Petronas for oil and gas exploration in Abu Dhabi, as well as a joint project for green hydrogen production. Hydrocarbons remain the backbone of trade between the Gulf and Asia, but cooperation is also expanding in other areas such as intelligent technologies and construction.

European countries are also showing an increasing interest in the Gulf region. France and the United Kingdom have already conducted official visits to Gulf countries and are actively expanding economic cooperation. Despite risks such as volatility in oil prices and political conflicts, experts believe that the strengthening of ties between the Gulf and Asian regions will continue and have a significant impact on the global situation.