ABSTRACT As a critical orientation in Saudi Arabia’s interactions with the outside world, ‘looking East’ has breathed new life into the Arab country’s rather mundane and modest foreign policy, long characterised by strong attachment to Western countries, the United States in particular. Despite their explicit intention not to replace pivotal Western allies with Asian partners, the Saudis have fostered closer connections to the East virtually in every area, covering politico-strategic, military, economic, technological, and cultural spheres. The Saudi looking-East drive has, moreover, dovetailed neatly with an equally salient approach among major Asian nations to advance their vastly expanding interests in important Middle East countries.

中文翻译：

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沙特阿拉伯向东看：势在必行和影响

摘要 作为沙特阿拉伯与外部世界互动的一个关键方向，“向东看”为这个阿拉伯国家相当平凡和温和的外交政策注入了新的活力，长期以来，其特点是对西方国家，特别是美国的强烈依恋。尽管沙特明确不打算用亚洲伙伴取代关键的西方盟友，但实际上在各个领域都与东方建立了更密切的联系，涵盖政治战略、军事、经济、技术和文化领域。此外，沙特的东征运动与亚洲主要国家为推进其在中东重要国家广泛扩大的利益而采取的同样突出的做法巧妙地吻合。