Xi Jinping to visit Saudi Arabia, after Biden’s visit

• China’s President Xi Jinping is expected to visit Saudi Arabia in the coming months.
• Relations between China and Saudi Arabia are being strengthened on multiple fronts.
• Russia surpassed Saudi Arabia as China’s top oil supplier for the second month in a row last month.

Only a few weeks before Biden’s visit, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced his intention to visit the Saudi Arabia.

“America’s relationship with Saudi Arabia is critical to maintaining stability in the Middle East,” Gordon Chang, an expert on China and a senior fellow at the Gatestone Institute, told reputed news agency.

“The Biden administration, however, has adopted policies that seem designed to alienate the kingdom, thereby driving Riyadh into the hands of Beijing.”

According to Chinese sources, the Chinese leader will arrive in the coming months. His visit comes at a time when relations with Saudi Arabia are being strengthened on multiple fronts, including oil and energy products, as well as growing military sales.

“Saudi Arabia views China as a future strategic partner, weaving strong relations with the kingdom in the most important sectors, such as the energy sector, military aspects and economic investments in both the medium and long run,” Salem Al-Yami told the reputed news agency. Al-Yami is a former advisor to the Saudi foreign ministry.

The military alliance between China and Saudi Arabia is expanding. According to a report by the German Institute for International and Security Affairs, Chinese arms transfers to Saudi Arabia increased 386% between 2016 and 2020.

Xi’s expected visit to the world’s top oil exporter comes at a time when global energy markets are in turmoil as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, as well as Russia facing international sanctions on its energy trade.

Beijing and Riyadh already have significant trade ties, and the two countries are reportedly discussing the possibility of negotiating oil sales in China’s currency, the Yuan, rather than dollars.

According to a news agency, Russia surpassed Saudi Arabia as China’s top oil supplier for the second month in a row last month, but China remains the product’s best customer.

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