Saudi Arabia to host China President Xi for summit with Gulf nations

Riyadh, Dec 6 (EFE).- Saudi Arabia will host Chinese President Xi Jinping this week, with the Islamic kingdom anchoring a gathering of rulers from across the Middle East and North Africa for a regional summit.

Xi will arrive in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday for an official visit, the official media reported on Tuesday.

The Saudi Press Agency (SPA) said Xi’s Dec.7-9 visit would “strengthen the historical relations and the distinguished strategic partnership that unites Saudi Arabia and China.”

Xi will co-chair a Saudi-Chinese summit with Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman will also attend the summit.

The visit will include a Gulf-China summit for cooperation and development and an Arab-China meeting with the participation of the leaders of the Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Oman.

“The two summits will discuss ways to enhance joint relations in all fields, and discuss prospects for economic and development cooperation,” the news agency said.

The agency did not indicate the dates of the two summits during Xi’s visit.

Xi’s visit to Saudi Arabia, the world’s biggest oil exporter, comes amid a debate over developing nations not taking sides in a polarized global order after Russia invaded Ukraine.

The United States accused Riyadh of siding with Russia for pushing for a significant cut in output by the OPEC+ group of oil-producing countries to prevent falling oil prices.

Saudi Arabia has denied this.

Likewise, China could become one of Russia’s most important partners as Moscow faces a crippling decline in crude oil exports to Europe and economic sanctions from the West. EFE

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