KSA: Chinese President arrives in Riyadh – Gulf Digital News

KSA: Chinese President arrives in Riyadh – Gulf Digital News

Chinese President Xi Jinping began a visit to Saudi Arabia yesterday that Beijing said marked its biggest diplomatic initiative in the Arab world.

He was invited by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud to attend a Saudi-Chinese summit, state agency SPA reported.

The summit, headed by King Salman, will also see the participation of Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.

Xi is set to attend two more conferences, the Riyadh Gulf-China Summit for Co-operation and Development and the Riyadh Arab-China Summit for Co-operation and Development, which will be “an epoch-making milestone in the history of the development of China-Arab relations”, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said.

All three summits will focus on ways to enhance joint relations in all fields and economic co-operation. Leaders from GCC and Arab countries will also participate in the events held in Saudi Arabia.

Speaking on arrival in Riyadh, Xi said he would work with the GCC and other Arab leaders “to advance Chinese-Arab relations and Chinese-GCC relations to a new level”, the SPA reported.

Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman said that Riyadh would remain a “trusted and reliable” energy partner for Beijing and that the