Source: Journal of International Relations, No.1, 2024

Abstract: After the Middle East Upheaval, the UAE's diplomacy has undergone a significant transformation, which is from strategy of Bandwagoning to Buck-passing From the perspective of realism, this paper attempts to sort out the UAE's foreign policy since its founding under the theoretical framework of Buck-passing, and uses the analytic hierarchy process to investigate the motivations of the UAE's diplomatic trans-formation, and discuss the influence and trend of the UAE's diplomatic transformation. Through the study, it can be found that the shift from the strategy of UAE reflects the change of the UAE's diplomatie style from unobtrusive and steady to aggressive and active, and then back to moderate, and the new foreign policy being provided with the characteristics of nationalism and pragmatism. After 2011, the UAE has frequently intervened in regional conflicts and used the way of military and aid to expand its sphere of influence and reshape the regional pattern. The internal reasons for the transformation of the UAE's diplomaey stem from its ambition to become a regional leader and the adjustment of its domestie policies; The external factors result from its increased awareness of political Islam and Iranian threats and changes of the international environment. In order to safeguard its own security and national interests, the LAE adopts a strategy of Buck-passing, uniting its allies and other regional regimes to hold back the expansion of political Islam, Iran and other forces. Besides, the transformation has a profound impact on itself and the geopolitical pattern of the Middle East. However. due to factors such as state power, the LAl's diplomatie transition has suffered setbacks and has begun to change back to moderate diplomacy, which indicates the goal of the UAE's diplomatic transformation is difficult to achieve.

Keywords: UAE diplomacy transformation, bandwagoning, buck-passing