International desk: Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Saudi Arabia after seven years is rare in the level of enthusiasm among the leaders of the Arab world. Leaders from all the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council, including the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, came to Riyadh for a meeting with President Xi.
Later on Friday (December 9), top leaders from Egypt, Tunisia, Lebanon, Iraq and Sudan arrived in Riyadh to attend a Sino-Arab summit. The Chinese also did not hesitate to express their desire for proximity to the Arab world.
Just before President Xi’s visit, the spokesperson of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement saying that this is the first time since the creation of the Chinese state that they are getting so close to the Arab world. The visit will be a milestone in the relationship between China and the Arab world. History is being made.
An article by President Xi was published in various Saudi dailies where he said that the history of China’s relationship with the Arab world is two thousand years old. The Chinese President cited a quote from the Prophet of Islam. Where the Prophet advised his followers to go to China if needed for enlightenment.
According to Saudi media, on Wednesday (December 7) the two countries signed 34 contracts and agreements worth three thousand billion dollars in various fields. There is no doubt that America did not like President Xi’s visit and the talk of Saudi Arabia and other Arab leaders about him.
Because the Gulf Arab region, which is rich in energy resources, has long been considered by the US as one of the main centers of its sphere of influence. China is the number one strategic rival of America in the current world, the leader of which there is so much enthusiasm.
Sami Hamdi, an analyst of Middle East politics in London, said that Saudi Arabia decided to invite the Chinese president earlier this year, but Washington repeatedly objected to Riyadh. The decision to invite the Chinese leader was also reported in the Saudi media at the time, but was later suppressed.
After waiting for a while, Saudi Arabia finally ignored America’s concerns. Not only was the Chinese president invited, but President Biden visited Jeddah in July to request an increase in oil production, but powerful Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ignored him.
Many analysts believe that for some time there has been an urge among Middle Eastern countries, especially Saudi Arabia or the UAE, to reduce dependence on America for security, political and economic relations.
After taking power in Saudi Arabia in 2017, Prince Salman has been striving to make it a modern and independent country. For this reason, Huawei, the Chinese telecom company banned by the United States on the grounds of involvement in espionage, has installed 5G networks in several Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
These countries did not listen to America about the risk of stealing sensitive information. Even under an agreement signed between Saudi Arabia and China on Wednesday, Huawei will establish several data centers in Saudi Arabia where important data will be stored in the cloud.
However, one of the main reasons behind the cooling of the Saudi administration’s relationship with America is the strained relationship between President Biden and Prince Salman over the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
President Biden has openly blamed Prince Salman for the killings since his election campaign. Threatened to put him in solitary confinement.
The White House has been requested by the Saudi royal family to ensure that Prince Salman will never be prosecuted in the United States for Khashoggi’s murder, but Biden has not yet given any assurance.
Sadi Hamdi said, Yuvraj Salman feels humiliated. There is also the issue of showing America behind the slurs he made on Xi Jinping.
The two did not even shake hands when Biden arrived in Jeddah. Now Mohammed Salman has invited Xi and wants to show the Americans that he has taken the path of a new international relationship. He is bringing not only himself but also other Arab leaders to this path.
The pomp and circumstance in Riyadh in the last three days has a lot of symbolic value. Mohammed Salman wants to tell the Americans ‘You told me you will put me in a single room. Now look it didn’t happen.’
But it is undeniable that there has been a growing sense in the Arab world for some time now that America’s interest in the Middle East is waning. The power of the US as a superpower is slowly waning. In the Arab world, it is now being openly expressed that they must now look to the United States for a multifaceted relationship.
Anwar Gargah, diplomatic adviser to the president of the United Arab Emirates, said in a recent speech, “I think that America will continue to dominate the global system.” China is now a major economic power, they are now a very important political power.’
China’s trade and investment relations with the Gulf countries, especially the Saudis, are growing by leaps and bounds. Trade between Saudi Arabia and China in 2021 was 8 billion dollars. This year it will be much more. Saudi Arabia is now China’s main oil supplier.
The United States has largely accepted the reality of the Gulf states’ interest in economic ties with other countries, including China, for development and technology, but many analysts say China’s involvement in strategic security matters.
