(HRNW) – The Saudi capital was bedecked with Chinese flags ahead of President Xi Jinping’s visit on Wednesday that is likely to focus on energy ties but also follows months of tensions with the United States.
The red-and-gold Chinese emblem alternated with the green flag of Saudi Arabia along major roads in Riyadh, while Xi was pictured on the front pages of newspapers that highlighted the trip’s potential economic benefits.
China, the world’s second-biggest economy, is the top customer for oil from Saudi Arabia, the leading exporter of crude, and both sides appear keen to expand their relationship at a time of economic turmoil and geopolitical realignment.
The three-day trip — only Xi’s third overseas journey since the coronavirus pandemic began, and his first to Saudi Arabia since 2016 — comes after US President Joe Biden’s visit in July, when he pleaded in vain for higher oil production.
It will feature bilateral meetings with Saudi King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the de facto ruler, as well as a summit with the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council and a wider China-Arab summit.
Chinese flags flutter in Saudi capital ahead of Xi visit
