Saudi FM on China ties: ‘We don’t believe in choosing between sides’

RIYADH: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud has stressed that the kingdom is “focused on cooperation with all parties.”

Speaking at a press conference, Prince Faisal said: “Competition is a good thing,” adding, “And I think we are in a competitive marketplace.”

Part of that drive for competitiveness, he said, comes with “cooperation with as many parties as possible.”

Asked about his country’s relations with Washington in the light of the warmth shown to Xi, Prince Faisal said Saudi Arabia would continue to work with all its partners. “We don’t see this as a zero-sum game,” he said.

“We don’t believe in polarisation or choosing between sides,” the prince said.

The kingdom feels it is important that it is fully engaged with its traditional partner, the United States, as well as other rising economies like China, added the foreign minister.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman hosted two landmark Arab summits in Saudi Arabia with the Chinese leader, demonstrating the powerful prince’s regional prowess in partnerships beyond close historical ties with the West.

At a time when Riyadh’s relationship with Washington has been tested over human rights, energy policy and Russia, top oil exporter Saudi Arabia and economic giant China both sent strong messages of “non-interference” during Xi’s visit.

China’s growing influence in the Gulf has made the US nervous. Deepening economic ties were discussed during Xi’s visit, where he was greeted with pomp and ceremony and on Friday met Gulf states and attended a wide-ranging summit with Arab League leaders spanning the Gulf, the Levant and Africa.

At the start of talks on Friday, Prince Mohammed announced a “historic new phase in relations with China”, a stark contrast to the US-Saudi Arabia meetings five months ago when President Joe Biden attended a small Arab summit in Riyadh.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has left Riyadh on Saturday morning following an official three-day state visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The president was seen off at King Khalid International Airport by Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz, Governor of Riyadh, and Prince Faisal bin Farhan.

During the visit, President Xi Jinping attended summits with Saudi, Gulf and other Arab leaders, describing the talks as a historic milestone for relations with the energy-rich Middle East.

He highlighted close security and energy ties with Gulf nations during summit meetings in the Saudi capital. Xi Jinping said that relations between China and the Arab countries witnessed great developments in recent years.

Saudi Arabia and China vowed to prioritise relations as part of their foreign policy and set a model of cooperation and solidarity for developing countries, according to a joint statement released after the Saudi-Chinese summit.