PR99152

BEIJING, Dec. 9, 2022 /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/ --

China-Saudi Arabia strategic mutual trust has been strengthened, and the

bilateral practical cooperation in various fields has yielded fruitful results

since the establishment of diplomatic ties 32 years ago, Chinese President Xi

Jinping said in a written statement when arriving in Riyadh on Wednesday.

Bilateral relations steered by President Xi and King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al

Saud of Saudi Arabia have not only benefited their people but also contributed

to regional peace, stability, prosperity and development, he said.

During his talks with Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman

Al Saud at the royal palace on Thursday, Xi said as an important member of the

Arab world and Islamic world, Saudi Arabia is also an important independent

force in a multipolar world and China's important strategic partner in the

Middle East.

A strengthened China-Saudi Arabia comprehensive strategic partnership

With the current international and regional situation undergoing profound and

complex changes, Xi said the strategic and overall significance of China-Saudi

Arabia relations has become more prominent.

China sees its development of relations with Saudi Arabia as a priority in its

overall diplomacy, especially its Middle East diplomacy, Xi said.

China is willing to join hands with Saudi Arabia to achieve national

rejuvenation, strengthen the development of strategic synergy, deepen pragmatic

cooperation in all fields and enhance communication and coordination in

regional and international affairs to push for greater development of the

China-Saudi Arabia comprehensive strategic partnership, Xi said.

Meanwhile, Mohammed said Saudi Arabia looks forward to working with China to

jointly commit to pushing the China-Saudi Arabia comprehensive strategic

partnership to a new high.

President Xi's visit will mark a milestone in bilateral relations, which will

also promote cooperation in all fields, benefits the two peoples and achieve

mutual prosperity and development of the two countries, Mohammed said.

The convening of the first China-Arab States Summit and the China-Gulf

Cooperation Council (GCC) Summit hold special significance, which will play a

strategic role in China-Saudi Arabia relations and China-GCC relations, Xi said.

China expects to work with Saudi Arabia to make the China-Arab States Summit

and the China-GCC Summit milestone events in the development history of

China-Arab states relations and China-GCC relations and promote the relations

to a new level, Xi added.

China will work with Saudi Arabia to strengthen collaboration under

multilateral frameworks, such as the United Nations and the Group of 20, Xi

said.

Mohammed thanked China for its support in granting Saudi Arabia the status of

dialogue partner in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, adding that Saudi

Arabia stands ready to strengthen communication and coordination with China and

jointly address challenges of energy security, food security and climate change

to make contributions in safeguarding regional peace, stability and security.

"I have full confidence in the prospect of bilateral relations," said Mohammed.

Synergize Belt and Road Initiative and Vision 2030

Under the leadership of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the

Saudi people are marching in big strides toward Vision 2030 and making

important progress in economic and social reform and diversification.

China supports Saudi Arabia's major development initiatives, such as Vision

2030 and the Middle East Green Initiative and is willing to actively

participate in Saudi's industrialization process, aimed at helping the

diversification of Saudi Arabia's economic development, Xi said.

Implementing the synergy of China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative and Saudi

Arabia's Vision 2030, the two sides should deepen and substantiate practical

cooperation in all areas to yield more fruits, Xi said.

He added that China will work with Saudi Arabia to deepen cooperation in the

fields of production capacity and infrastructure construction and advance the

development of the China-Saudi Arabia (Jizan) Industrial Park and the

construction of major infrastructure projects.

In fields such as e-commerce, digital economy, clean energy, high-tech and

space research and development, Xi said China looks forward to expanding

cooperation, calling for elevating cooperation levels in trade, investment and

finance.

Mohammed said Saudi Arabia is willing to build the Belt and Road with China,

expand trade and mutual investment and welcomes more Chinese enterprises to

participate in Saudi Arabia's industrialization process.

Saudi Arabia also welcomes Chinese enterprises to join in its major

infrastructure construction and energy projects cooperation, Mohammed said,

calling for strengthened cooperation in the automobile, technology, chemical

engineering and mining industries.

China agrees to list Saudi Arabia as a destination for group travel and expand

personnel exchanges, as well as cultural and people-to-people exchanges between

the two sides, Xi said, adding that China will work with Saudi Arabia to

promote more achievements in Chinese language education cooperation between the

two countries.

Regarding energy policies, Xi said China will strengthen communication and

coordination in this field with Saudi Arabia, expand the scale of crude oil

trade, and implement major energy cooperation projects such as the Sino-Saudi

Gulei Ethylene Complex Project.

Mohammed thanked China for supporting the Middle East Green Initiative, calling

for enhanced cooperation in clean energy and green development.

https://news.cgtn.com/news/2022-12-08/Xi-Jinping-holds-talks-with-Saudi-Arabia-s-crown-prince-1fBphNwqjg4/index.html

SOURCE: CGTN