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Am guessing that Xi is counting on the likes of Kirby making no changes.
On Wednesday, US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said Xi aimed to use the trip to exert China’s influence in the Middle East, but the US policy toward the region would not be changed.
scmp.com
During Xi’s visit to Middle East, China and Saudi Arabia sign 34 energy and investment deals
- Saudi Arabian energy minister announces plan for regional centre for Chinese factories to further boost energy supply chains
- Saudi Aramco adviser says connecting the traditional oil industry and related enterprises with the digital economy is one of China’s strengths
China’s President Xi Jinping is received by Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan at King Khalid International Airport in the capital Riyadh. Photo: SPA/AFP
China and Saudi Arabia have signed 34 energy and investment deals as Chinese President Xi Jinping vowed to enhance the comprehensive strategic partnership with Riyadh during his first visit to the Middle East since 2016.
The Saudi Press Agency reported that Chinese and Saudi Arabian companies signed dozens of agreements covering green energy, informational technology, infrastructure and medical industries on Wednesday as Xi started his state visit in Saudi Arabia before attending two key summits with Arab and Gulf countries over the next two days.
The total value of the 34 deals was not revealed. But the agency reported earlier that the two countries had aimed to sign 20 preliminary agreements worth US$29.26 billion.
Saudi Arabian energy minister Abdulaziz bin Salman also announced a plan to establish a regional centre for Chinese factories to further boost energy supply chains.
“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has strong and close strategic relations with China in many fields, the most important of which is energy,” the Saudi Press Agency quoted him as saying.
“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will remain China’s credible and reliable partner in this field.”
In an article Xi wrote for Saudi Arabia’s Al Riyadh newspaper, he vowed to enhance the comprehensive strategic partnership signed with Riyadh in 2016, and opposed any “external interference” in their ties.
“China will take this visit as an opportunity to strengthen its comprehensive strategic partnership with Saudi Arabia. We will continue to give each other understanding and support, and jointly advocate independence and oppose external interference,” according to an English version of the article on Xinhua.
Xi praised China’s cooperation with Saudi Arabia over the past decade, from the massive Red Sea infrastructure project to 5G and moon exploration. He said China would “further synergise” its Belt and Road Initiative and Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 – an initiative aimed at reducing dependence on oil and diversifying its economy through methods such as infrastructure and tourism.
China has been Saudi Arabia’s largest trading partner since 2013, while Riyadh has been Beijing’s biggest oil provider for years. In the first three quarters of 2022, imports from Saudi accounted for 17.8 per cent of China’s total oil imports. The Middle East was also the main beneficiary of belt and road investment in the first half of 2022.
Victor Gao, vice-president of the Centre for China and Globalisation, a Beijing-based think tank, and an adviser to Saudi Aramco, the world’s largest oil production company, said the number of deals between China and Saudi Arabia was as expected as the two fostered deeper energy ties. He said there would be more deals to come with other Arab and Gulf countries during the summits.
Gao added that the regional hub for Chinese factories would make it easier to manage personnel and funds to make manufacturing in Saudi Arabia more efficient. An integrated regional hub could also better connect different industries.
“Connecting the traditional oil industry and related enterprises with the digital economy is also China’s strength too,” he said.
Xi landed in Riyadh on Wednesday afternoon to kick off his four-day trip.
His plane was escorted by four Saudi fighter jets and six Saudi Hawk jets before landing at King Khalid International Airport. A purple carpet was rolled out for him as he was received by Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah, Riyadh’s governor Faisal bin Bandar al Saud, Chinese ambassador to Saudi Arabia Chen Weiqing and other officials.
Xi’s visit came as Riyadh’s relations with Washington were at an all-time low after their recent dispute over the Opec+ decision to cut oil output by 2 million barrels a day.
On Wednesday, US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said Xi aimed to use the trip to exert China’s influence in the Middle East, but the US policy toward the region would not be changed.
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