Saudi & China ink strategic deals, Xi heralds ‘new era’

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia and China showcased deepening ties with a series of strategic deals on Thursday during a visit by President Xi Jinping. King Salman signed a “comprehensive strategic partnership agreement” with Xi, who received 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. 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. A memorandum with China’s Huawei Technologies, 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.