Xi’s visit to Saudi Arabia a new era of relations
2022.12.08 06:18
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Xi’s visit to Saudi Arabia a new era of relations
Budrigannews.com – Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received President Xi Jinping on Thursday, signaling Riyadh’s interest in deepening ties with Beijing despite the United States’ skepticism. The Chinese leader was announcing “a new era” in Arab relations.
Xi’s car was escorted into the royal palace in Riyadh by members of the Saudi Royal Guard riding Arabian horses and carrying Chinese and Saudi flags. There, Prince Mohammed, the de facto ruler of the oil giant, greeted him with a warm smile.
It was a stark contrast to the subdued welcome given to U.S. President Joe Biden in July, when the awkward visit had been overshadowed by Saudi energy policy and the murder of Jamal Khashoggi in 2018.
With its ties to Riyadh at an all-time low, the United States is wary of China’s growing influence and said on Wednesday that the visit was an example of Chinese attempts to influence the world and would not alter U.S. policy toward the Middle East.
Prince Mohammed, with whom Biden bumped fists rather than shaking hands in July, has made a comeback on the world stage following the killing of Khashoggi, which tainted relations between Saudi Arabia and the United States. He has been defiant in the face of the ire of the United States regarding oil supplies and pressure from Washington to assist in isolating Russia.
Establishing the vibe for Xi’s visit, his plane was accompanied by Saudi flying corps jets as it entered Saudi airspace and a 21-weapon salute was shot as senior Saudi royals met him at the air terminal on Wednesday, the Chinese unfamiliar service said.
Xi declared that he was on a “pioneering trip” to “open a new era of China’s relations with the Arab world, the Arab countries of the Gulf, and Saudi Arabia” in an opinion piece that was published in Saudi media.
“Continue to hold high the banner of non-interference in internal affairs, firmly support each other in safeguarding sovereignty and territorial integrity,” he wrote, referring to Arab nations and China.
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Xi, because of meet with other Inlet oil makers and go to a more extensive social occasion of Bedouin pioneers on Friday, said these states were a “mother lode of energy for the world economy … furthermore, are fruitful ground for the advancement of cutting edge ventures”.
The United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and other Gulf states have stated that they would not choose sides with global powers and were diversifying partners to serve national economic and security interests.
“TRUSTED PARTNER” Gulf states count China, the world’s largest energy consumer, as a major trade partner. As the region pushes for economic diversification, bilateral ties have grown, which has raised concerns about Chinese involvement in sensitive Gulf infrastructure.
On Wednesday, the Saudi energy minister stated that Riyadh would continue to be Beijing’s “trusted and reliable” energy partner and that the two countries would establish a regional center in the kingdom for Chinese factories to enhance cooperation in energy supply chains.
According to the state news agency SPA, 34 deals for investments in green energy, information technology, cloud services, transportation, construction, and other fields were also signed by Chinese and Saudi companies. Although it had previously stated that initial agreements worth $30 billion would be signed, it did not provide any figures.
The Middle East specialist at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations (CICIR), a think tank affiliated with the Chinese government, Tang Tianbo, stated that the visit would expand energy cooperation.
Tianbo wrote in an article about Saudi-Chinese relations that the “Belt and Road” initiative, Xi’s signature infrastructure investment project, complemented Saudi plans to diversify its economy under its “Vision 2030.”
She noted that “in recent years, it has upheld its strategic autonomy, resisted the pressure of the United States,” despite the fact that Saudi Arabia was a significant ally of the United States.