Saudi Arabia’s Complex Cultural Hedging Between the U.S. and China

This research examines Saudi Arabia’s strategic use of cultural instruments as a sophisticated form of hedging amid intensifying U.S.-China great-power rivalry and the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 diversification agenda. Drawing on hedging theory, the study conceptualizes “complex cultural hedging” as a deliberate, state-orchestrated strategy that simultaneously cultivates and balances American and Chinese soft power influences without aligning with either. Four core objectives drive Saudi cultural hedging: responding to China’s rise and the rise of multipolarity; forging long-term cultural and strategic ties with Beijing; reducing the historical dominance of U.S. cultural influence; and preserving Saudi national identity and Islamic values through selective adaptation. The analysis operationalizes this strategy across six dimensions: language and education; cultural institutions and food diplomacy; media visibility; air connectivity and mobility; scientific and cultural cooperation; and emerging digital sectors, including gaming, e-sports, animation, and sports diplomacy. Empirical findings from 2020–2026 reveal five key characteristics of the hedging strategy: multi-dimensional, complementary, dual, dynamic, and asymmetric. Riyadh sustains deep, elite-level ties with the United States while accelerating volume and mass exposure with China, thereby maximizing autonomy and projecting a distinctive, soft, middle-power culture rooted in moderated Islamic values. The study concludes that cultural hedging represents a low-risk, but high-legitimacy, extension of traditional hedging, transforming great-power cultural competition into a strategic asset for middle powers navigating multipolarity.