RIYADH: China and Saudi Arabia signed a series of strategic deals including Huawei during ongoing visit of President Xi Jinping to Riyadh.
Saudi King Salman signed a comprehensive strategic partnership agreement with Xi Jinping.
Saudi Arabia signed a memorandum with China’s Huawei Technologies for cloud computing and building high-tech complexes in Saudi cities.
Xi Jinping’s car was escorted to the palace of King Salman by Saudi Royal Guards riding Arabian horses and carrying Chinese and Saudi flags.
Also, Chinese leader met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, heralding a new era in China-Arab ties.
The United States said that Xi’s trip to Saudi Arabia was an attempt of Chinese to influence the world.
In an op-ed published in Saudi media, Xi said 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”.
Chinese leader said that China and Arab countries would “continue to uphold the dedication of non-interference in internal affairs”, Xi added.
That sentiment was echoed by the crown prince, who said his country opposed any “interference in China’s internal affairs in the name of human rights”, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV said.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia and UAE said that the prince and the UAE president jointly led mediation efforts that secured the release of US basketball star Brittney Griner in a prisoner swap with Russia.
Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states like the United Arab Emirates have said that they would not choose sides between global powers and were diversifying partners to serve national economic and security interests.
