Asia: Saudi Arabia’s One-Stop Shop for Economic Opportunities

Asia boasts the world's most dynamic economy. The region's markets have continued to grow over the last several years as the economies of the European Union and North America have stagnated. And along the way, they have caught the attention of the wealthy Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, which are on the lookout for new investment opportunities and markets to buy their energy exports. Economic ties between the GCC's members and various East and Southeast Asian countries have exploded over the past decade. Between 2007 and 2012, for instance, Saudi Arabia's exports to China jumped from $17 billion to as much as $55 billion. Though the number has since fallen, in tandem with oil prices, Saudi Arabia's trade and investment ties with Asia will continue to increase in the years ahead. Considering the region's importance to the Gulf states, it is hardly surprising that Southeast and East Asia are the destination...