China and Arab countries “will continue to hold high the banner of non-interference in internal affairs, (and) firmly support each other in defending sovereignty and territorial integrity”, he wrote.
Xi, who is due to meet with other Gulf oil producers on Friday and participate in a wide-ranging gathering of Arab leaders, said these states are “a treasure trove of energy for the world economy … and fertile ground for the development of high-tech industries”. “.
Several regional rulers, including Egypt’s president, Kuwait’s crown prince and Sudan’s leader, arrived in Riyadh on Thursday.
Other Gulf countries such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have said they will not choose sides among global powers and are diversifying partners to serve national economic and security interests.
“trusted partner”
China, the world’s biggest energy consumer, is a major trade partner of the Gulf countries and bilateral ties have expanded as the region has promoted economic diversification, raising US hackles about Chinese involvement in sensitive Gulf infrastructure. .
The Saudi energy minister said on Wednesday that Riyadh would remain a “reliable and reliable” energy partner for Beijing and the two would boost cooperation in the energy supply chain by setting up a regional hub in the kingdom for sugar factories.
State news agency SPA reported that Chinese and Saudi firms signed 34 deals for investment in green energy, information technology, cloud services, transportation, construction and other sectors. It did not give any figures, but had earlier said that the two countries would seal initial agreements worth $30 billion.
Tang Tianbo, a Middle East expert at the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations (CICIR), a Chinese government-affiliated think tank, said the visit would result in further expansion of energy cooperation.