Saudi Arabia and China showcased deepening ties with a series of strategic deals on Thursday during a visit by President Xi Jinping, including one with tech giant Huawei, whose growing foray into the Gulf region has raised US security concerns, Reuters has reported.
A memorandum with China’s Huawei Technologies [RIC:RIC:HWT.UL], on cloud computing and building high-tech complexes in Saudi cities, was agreed despite US concerns with Gulf allies over a possible security risk in using the Chinese firm’s technology. Huawei has participated in building 5G networks in most Gulf states despite US concerns.
King Salman signed a “comprehensive strategic partnership agreement” with Xi, who received a lavish welcome in a country forging new global partnerships beyond the West.
A Lavish Welcome
Reuters has described Xi’s visit to Saudi Arabia as historic after receiving a ‘lavish welcome.’
Xi’s car was escorted to the king’s palace by members of the Saudi Royal Guard riding Arabian horses and carrying Chinese and Saudi flags.
The Chinese leader held talks with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, de facto ruler of the oil giant, who greeted him with a warm smile. The two stepped into a pavilion as a military band played the countries’ national anthems. Xi heralded “a new era” in Arab ties.
The display stood in stark contrast to the low-key welcome extended in July to US President Joe Biden, with whom ties have been strained by Saudi energy policy and the 2018 murder of Jamal Khashoggi that had overshadowed the awkward visit.
The United States, warily watching China’s growing sway and with its ties to Riyadh at a nadir, said on Wednesday Xi’s trip was an example of Chinese attempts to exert influence around the world and would not change US policy towards the Middle East.
Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) has made a comeback on the world stage following the Khashoggi killing, which cast a pall over Saudi-US ties, and has been defiant in the face of US ire over oil supplies and pressure from Washington to help isolate Russia.
In further burnishing of his international credentials, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates said on Thursday that the prince and the UAE president jointly led mediation efforts that secured the release of US basketball star Brittney Griner in a prisoner swap with Russia.
In an op-ed published in Saudi media, Xi said he was on a “pioneering trip” to “open a new era of China’s relations with the Arab world, the Arab countries of the Gulf, and Saudi Arabia”.
MBS Ignores Uyghurs’ Plight
According to the report, Saudi Arabia, birthplace of Islam, had supported China’s policies in Xinjiang, where the U.N. says human rights abuses have been committed against Uyghurs and other Muslims.
Saudi officials have said that regional security would be on the agenda during Xi’s visit. The United States has for decades been Saudi Arabia’s main security guarantor and remains its main defence supplier, but Riyadh has chafed at restrictions on US arms sales to the kingdom.
Riyadh has said it would continue to expand partnerships to serve economic and security interests, despite US reservations about Gulf ties with both Russia and China.
Saudi and Chinese companies have signed 34 investment agreements within the framework of the visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to the Kingdom.
The agreements between the two sides covered several sectors in the fields of green energy, green hydrogen, photovoltaic energy, information technology, cloud services, transportation, logistics, medical industries, housing and construction factories.
Millions of Dollars on Digital Espionage
Although Saudi Finance Minister admitted that there is a liquidity shortage in Saudi Arabia’s banking system, MBS has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with China’s Sense Time Group, a leading Chinese developer of artificial intelligence software involved in spying on Uighur Muslims.
The Chinese President’s visit to the Kingdom has sparked angry comments on social media.
Governor General Twitter account tweeted about the visit saying:
China is a much better partner for Saudi Arabia than America because: China will never bitch about muh Khashoggi, muh human rights. No regime change, no color revolution, no palace coup. MBS literally feels safer befriending China. China will sell all the super advanced weapons
https://twitter.com/manchuxi/status/1601347779229777921
For his part, CEO Free Tibet Organisation Sam Walton said:
“The Chinese do not lecture” – Senior #Saudi official. #China is illegally occupying #Tibet, committing genocide of the #Uyghur people & crushing democracy in #HongKong. Saudi has to stoop this low not to get lectured on human rights & war in #yemen
https://twitter.com/SamWalton/status/1600421187154157568
