Chinese influence in the Middle East grows as America’s presence recedes

Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MbS), hosted Chinese President Xi Jinping at Yamamah Palace in Riyadh last week, flanked by high-ranking officials. President Xi said bilateral ties with Saudi Arabia had grown “by leaps and bounds” in recent years.

This “has not only enriched both countries’ peoples but promoted regional peace, security, prosperity and development,” Xi said, according to China’s state-run CCTV. The two leaders oversaw the signing of a comprehensive strategic partnership agreement focusing mainly on energy, to “harmonize” Saudi Arabia’s ambitious economic reform agenda, Vision 2030, with China’s trillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative, the official Saudi Press Agency said.

China, the top consumer of Saudi oil, has been strengthening ties with a region that has long relied on the United States for military protection but has voiced concerns over American involvement and presence in the Middle East. READ MORE