Beyond Symbolic Exchange: A Governance Framework for Exhibition-Based Cultural Cooperation in Saudi Chinese Relations

Abstract

This study develops an analytical framework for understanding exhibition-based cultural cooperation between Saudi Arabia and China within the broader context of Sino-Arab relations. Moving beyond conventional narratives of symbolic exchange and mutual understanding, the study argues that exhibitions function as structured institutional platforms that integrate cultural diplomacy, governance arrangements, creative-economy priorities, and international partnership mechanisms. As Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 prioritizes culture and tourism and China’s Belt and Road Initiative promotes cultural connectivity, exhibitions have become increasingly relevant sites of bilateral engagement. Adopting a qualitative exploratory design grounded in secondary-data analysis, including policy documents, cooperation agreements, institutional reports, and exhibition materials, the study draws on cultural economics, soft-power theory, international cultural-policy studies, and governance theory. Findings reveal three interconnected dimensions: exhibitions serve as symbolic platforms for presenting national identity and civilizational narratives; as governance spaces requiring multi-actor coordination across ministries, museums, curators, and private sectors; and as economic drivers supporting tourism, creative entrepreneurship, and cross-border cultural industries. The discussion emphasizes that sustainable cooperation depends on coherent governance, stable financing, professional development, and evaluative mechanisms, moving from event-based gestures toward long-term institutionalized partnerships. The study concludes that exhibition-based cooperation remains an under-theorized yet vital component of Saudi Chinese relations, offering a governance-oriented framework that contributes to broader debates on culture as an institutionalized dimension of contemporary international relations while providing foundations for future empirical research.