Xi Jinping Likely to Visit Saudi Arabia: Foreign Minister
Prince Faisal bin Farhan hailed the "historical and solid relationship" between the major oil exporter and Beijing after talks with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi.
World News Agence France-Presse Updated: October 28, 2022 3:47 pm IST
Riyadh:
Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to visit Saudi Arabia, the oil-rich kingdom's foreign minister said, days after the leader of the world's most populous nation secured a third term in office.
Prince Faisal bin Farhan hailed the "historical and solid relationship" between the major oil exporter and Beijing after talks with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi.
"Our meeting today comes at an important time, as it precedes the expected visit of the Chinese president to the kingdom," Prince Faisal said in a video statement broadcast on Saudi television.
Saudi Arabia is also "finalising arrangements" for summit talks between China and Arab countries, he added.
Xi, who extended his decade in power last week, has only left China once since the early days of the coronavirus pandemic, when he visited Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan in September.
The Chinese embassy in Saudi Arabia did not comment when asked by AFP about Xi's expected visit.
China's ministry of foreign affairs meanwhile said it had "no information to offer" on the matter.
The potential visit comes at a time of strained ties between Saudi Arabia and long-standing ally the United States after the OPEC+ cartel slashed oil production, ignoring pleas from Washington.
The decision infuriated US President Joe Biden, who flew to Saudi Arabia in July, fist-bumping with de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, 37, despite once pledging to make the country a "pariah" over the 2018 murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
Wang said Saudi Arabia occupies a "priority position in China's overall diplomacy", according to the official Xinhua news agency.
Xi visited Saudi Arabia in January 2016 -- the year before Prince Mohammed was named as heir to the throne, ushering in a period of reform. The Saudi prince made the trip to China in early 2019.
Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to visit Saudi Arabia, the oil-rich kingdom's foreign minister said, days after the leader of the world's most populous nation secured a third term in office.
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Saudi Arabia prepares for three summits to welcome China president
Prince Faisal bin Farhan hailed the “historical and solid relationship” between Saudi Arabia and China.
Saturday 29/10/2022
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A file picture shows Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi at bumping elbows with Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan in Wuxi, east China’s Jiangsu Province, January 10, 2022. (Xinhua)
RIYADH –
Political sources in the Arab Gulf region said Saturday that Saudi Arabia’s announcement of arranging three summits on the sidelines of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Riyadh amounts to a direct message to the United States.
The Kingdom, which arranged three summits for President Joe Biden during his visit to Saudi Arabia and enabled him to address regional leaders, paving the way for him to establish strong relations in the Middle East, will receive the Chinese president and provide him with the same opportunity.
This comes at a time when Washington is showing reluctance to develop its relations with Gulf and Arab countries.
The sources, who spoke to The Arab Weekly on condition of anonymity, considered that the message is clear and that Saudi Arabia will support those who appreciate its role and deal with it as an equal partner, and not those who resort to pressure and intimidation.
The same sources indicated that the visit of the Chinese president shows the extent of Saudi Arabia’s ability to manoeuvre as the Kingdom do possess alternatives to counter the American pressure. Riyadh, they said, wants to diversify economic and military partners as part of a future strategy of the country’s foreign policy.
The Saudi foreign minister said Friday that the Chinese president is expected to visit Saudi Arabia, days after the leader of the world’s most populous nation secured a third term in office.
Prince Faisal bin Farhan hailed the “historical and solid relationship” between the major oil exporter and Beijing after talks with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi.
“Our meeting today comes at an important time, as it precedes the expected visit of the Chinese president to the kingdom,” Prince Faisal said in a video statement broadcast on Saudi television.
Saudi Arabia is also “finalising arrangements” for summit talks between China and Arab countries, he added.
Xi, who extended his decade in power last week, has only left China once since the early days of the coronavirus pandemic, when he visited Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan in September.
The Chinese embassy in Saudi Arabia did not comment when asked about Xi’s expected visit.
China’s ministry of foreign affairs meanwhile said it had “no information to offer” on the matter.
The potential visit comes at a time of strained ties between Saudi Arabia and long-standing ally the United States after the OPEC+ cartel slashed oil production, ignoring pleas from Washington.
The decision infuriated US President Joe Biden, who flew to Saudi Arabia in July, fist-bumping with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, 37, despite once pledging to make the country a “pariah” over the 2018 murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
Wang said Saudi Arabia occupies a “priority position in China’s overall diplomacy”, according to the official Xinhua news agency.
This is the third meeting for senior officials from Saudi Arabia and China in two weeks. Earlier in October, the Deputy Foreign Minister Walid Bin Abdul Karim al-Khuraiji met the Chinese Ambassador Chen Weiqing and discussed strengthening relations.
The Saudi Energy Minister, Abdulaziz Bin Salman, and his Chinese counterpart Zhang Jianhua also held a virtual meeting on October 21, where both expressed their readiness to cooperate in maintaining the stability of global oil markets.
Xi visited Saudi Arabia in January 2016 – the year before crown prince Mohammed was named as heir to the throne, ushering in a period of reform. The Saudi prince made the trip to China in early 2019.
The potential visit of China president comes at a time of strained ties between Saudi Arabia and long-standing ally the United States.
thearabweekly.com
