The agreement comes during Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to the Kingdom, which is the second, and it came at the invitation of Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said today, Thursday, that Riyadh is firmly committed to the "one-China" principle and supports Beijing in protecting its sovereignty, security and territorial integrity.
In a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, bin Salman said: “The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is firmly committed to the principle of ‘One China’, supports China in defending its sovereignty, security and territorial integrity, supports the measures and efforts that China is making to de-radicalize, and strongly opposes external interference in China's internal affairs under the pretext of protecting human rights,” according to China Central Television, according to Sputnik.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said that Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend the summit of the Chinese-Gulf Cooperation Council, in addition to the first-ever Chinese-Arab meeting, and indicated that the summit will be a “milestone” in the development of Chinese-Arab relations.
The Chinese president affirmed his country's readiness to strengthen relations and cooperation with Riyadh in various fields, and to support peace and stability around the world.
Today, the Chinese president held talks with Saudi leaders on the second day of his visit to Riyadh, Thursday, before witnessing the signing of billions of dollars worth of agreements between the two economic powers aspiring to enhance their rapprochement, despite Washington's warnings of the escalation of Beijing's influence.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman shook hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping when he got out of his car upon his arrival at Al Yamama Palace in Riyadh, the official residence of the king and the seat of the royal court, according to footage broadcast by state media.
Later, the Chinese president met with Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz, and in the presence of the crown prince, they signed the "comprehensive strategic partnership agreement between the Kingdom and China," according to the Saudi Press Agency. They also agreed to hold a meeting of the leaders of the two countries every two years.
"China-Saudi cooperation has broad future prospects, and the Chinese side regards the Saudi side as an important force in a multipolar world, and attaches great importance to developing a comprehensive strategic partnership with Saudi Arabia," Xi said, according to Chinese state media.
The Chinese president confirmed that Beijing is ready to expand oil trade with Riyadh and will "list Saudi Arabia as an outbound tourism destination" for Chinese citizens.
Xi was awarded an honorary doctorate in management from King Saud University "in recognition of his achievements and great efforts in management and leadership, and in gratitude for the thriving relationship and continuous cooperation between the two friendly countries," according to the agency.
And Saudi government media reported that the visit witnesses the signing of agreements worth about $29.3 billion in several fields, at a time when China wants to strengthen its economy affected by the Corona virus, while the Saudis, historical allies of the United States, seek to diversify their economic and political alliances.
- important partner -
During the visit, the Chinese president will participate in two Gulf-Chinese and Arab-Chinese summits attended by leaders of the countries of the region who have already begun to flock to the Saudi capital, including Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati.
China, the largest consumer of Saudi oil, is strengthening its trade and political ties with a region that has long relied on the United States for military protection but has expressed fears of a diminishing American presence.
Hours after his arrival on Wednesday, Saudi state media announced 34 investment agreements in sectors including green hydrogen, information technology, transportation and construction.
The official Saudi Press Agency did not include additional details, but said that total trade between the two countries amounted to 304 billion Saudi riyals ($80 billion) in 2021 and 103 billion Saudi riyals ($27 billion) in the third quarter of 2022.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman believes that China is an important partner in the “Vision 2030” economic reform, as he seeks to involve Chinese companies in huge and ambitious projects aimed at diversifying the economy away from fossil fuels.
These projects include the future city of NEOM, which has an investment value of $500 billion and will rely heavily on facial recognition technology and surveillance.
Saudi Investment Minister Khaled Al-Falih said that Xi's visit will contribute to raising the pace of economic and investment cooperation between the two countries, as the visit provides "returns" to Chinese companies and investors, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
- Interviews with Arab leaders -
Diplomats based in Riyadh reported that the Chinese president may hold bilateral talks Thursday with other Arab leaders who arrived in Saudi Arabia ahead of Friday's summits.
Tunisian President Kais Saied will also arrive in Riyadh on Thursday. The Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, will also attend. Iraqi Prime Minister Mohamed Shiaa Al-Sudani and Moroccan Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch confirmed their presence.
China's foreign ministry said Xi's program represented "the largest large-scale diplomatic activity between China and the Arab world since the founding of the People's Republic of China."
This was not lost on the eyes of the White House, which warned of "the influence that China is trying to develop around the world."
"We are aware of the influence that China is trying to expand around the world," John Kirby, a spokesman for the National Security Council at the White House, told reporters. The Middle East is certainly among these regions where they want to deepen their level of influence,” he said, adding, “We believe that many of the things they seek, and the way they seek them, are not compatible with maintaining the international order governed by specific rules.”
"We're not asking countries to choose between the United States and China, but as the president has said many times, we believe the United States is certainly in a position to lead in this strategic competition," Kirby continued.
Washington has long been a close partner of Riyadh, but the relationship has recently soured over disagreements over energy policy, US security guarantees to countries in the region, and human rights.
Xi is making his third trip abroad since the COVID-19 pandemic prompted China to close its borders and embark on a series of lockdowns, hurting its giant economy.
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