A Study on the Supply Chain Resilience of Chinese Enterprises Expanding into Saudi Arabia Amid Geopolitical Risks and localization Challenges

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to consider the strategic approach of making supply chain resilience for Chinese enterprises entering the Saudi Arabian market in a complex institutional and cultural environment. By using the method of investigating a case for a long time, this research focuses on the role of CITIC Bo (from 2017 to 2025) in Saudi Arabia, and analyzes it through three stages: “entry”, “growth” and “maturity”, combining the macro-analysis, policy text and catch-up process of PEST. In the study, we found that the construction of supply chain resilience could not be completed at one time, but gradually moved towards “try-localize-configure capacity-summarize ecosystem”. Finally, a “four-stage” action guide is formulated to provide a phased and easy-to-implement judgment framework for Chinese enterprises that have been active in Saudi Arabia and similar new markets for a long time.