CNN
—
Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping with a lavish reception in the capital Riyadh on Thursday, with the two countries marking a “groundbreaking milestone” in China’s relations with the Arab world. Head to the summit.
Saudi state television shows the grand ceremony prepared for the Chinese leader as bin Salman, the de facto ruler of the kingdom known as MBS, welcomes him at the Al-Yamam Palace. Flags of China and Saudi Arabia dotted the grounds, and members of the Saudi Royal Guard lined up with swords and played music.
The two leaders were smiling warmly and looking at the photos. This contrasted with the atmosphere during President Joe Biden’s visit to Saudi Arabia earlier this year.
Shortly thereafter, China and Saudi Arabia signed a comprehensive strategic partnership agreement that included a number of deals and memorandums of understanding on hydrogen energy, coordination between the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 and China’s Belt and Road Initiative, and direct investment. reported the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) without providing details.
Xi landed in the capital Riyadh on Wednesday and was greeted by Riyadh Governor Faisal bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia and Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah. A Saudi military jet accompanied the Chinese president’s plane, and upon his arrival a purple carpet was rolled out and artillery fired.
The welcome of U.S. President Joe Biden is widely perceived to have been less than glamorous. Mr Biden met his MBS in Jeddah. There they made global headlines and traded fists that defined what ultimately became a frigid visit.
![Bin Salman welcomes China's leader to Riyadh](https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/221208140127-04-xi-mbs-120822.jpg?c=16x9&q=h_270,w_480,c_fill)
Saudi Arabia’s and China’s state media were keen this week to promote the close ties shared by the two governments. Saudi state television played clips of past meetings between Chinese and Saudi officials, conveying the warm relationship between the two countries for more than 80 years.
In a bylined article published in Saudi Arabia’s Al Riyadh newspaper on Thursday, Xi said his visit to Saudi Arabia this week “will usher in a new era for China’s relations with the Arab world, Gulf Arab countries and Saudi Arabia.” ‘ said.
“The Arab world is an important member of the developing world and an important force in maintaining international fairness and justice,” and will always strive for progress. ”
![Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman clashes with President Joe Biden as he arrives at the Al Salman Palace in Jeddah in July.](https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/220715121813-01-biden-mbs-fist-bump.jpg?c=16x9&q=h_270,w_480,c_fill)
In an article entitled “Inheriting Our Thousands of Years of Friendship and Co-Creating a Better Future,” Xi said that China and Arab countries should “keep high the flag of non-interference in their internal affairs and defend their sovereignty.” We will support each other firmly,” he said. Jointly support territorial integrity, and international fairness and justice, in agreement with US diplomacy, whose relationship with Saudi Arabia fell apart over OPEC’s decision to cut oil supplies.
Saudi Arabia’s energy minister also stressed that Saudi-China relations are “witnessing a qualitative leap” and that Saudi Arabia “will remain a reliable and reliable partner of China” on oil, SPA reported. .
China’s foreign ministry said Wednesday that the summit between China and Arab countries “will be a landmark milestone in the history of China-Arab relations”, adding that “President Xi’s official visit to Saudi Arabia It will enhance Saudi Arabia’s comprehensive strategy.” Partnering to new heights. ”
On Wednesday, Saudi and Chinese companies signed 34 investment agreements covering several sectors, including green energy, information technology, cloud services, transportation, logistics, the medical industry, housing and construction, the SPA said. reported.
The monetary value of the deal was not announced, but the SPA had previously reported that the two countries were set to sign a deal worth more than $29 billion during a visit this week.
Xi’s visit to Saudi Arabia comes at a time of fraying ties between the two countries with Washington, which holds many grievances against them over oil production, human rights and other issues.
Friendships between China and Saudi Arabia have blossomed for decades, but the two appear to have grown closer as they find themselves in a precarious position regarding the United States.
The White House said it was “not surprising” that Xi has traveled around the world and the Middle East. “We are mindful of China’s growing influence around the world,” said John Kirby, strategic communications coordinator for the US National Security Council.