FILE PHOTO: Chinese President Xi Jinping. REUTERS/ATHIT PERAWONGMETHA
“This visit is the culmination or crowning of a deep strengthening in relations over the last few years,” said Ali Shihabi, a Saudi commentator and advisory board member for the kingdom’s Neom megaproject. “The US is concerned about this, but cannot slow this already strong relationship down.” “It’s high time we stopped seeing this as being purely about economic and commercial relations,” said Cinzia Bianco, a visiting fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, who focuses on the Gulf. “For the Arab states, it’s about alternatives, in all possible ways.
Whereas Donald Trump chose Riyadh for his first overseas trip as president, Biden came to office pledging that he’d treat the crown price as a pariah for his part in the murder of columnist Jamal Khashoggi. China has cheered on from the sidelines: Foreign minister Wang Yi praised the kingdom’s “independent energy policy” and efforts to stabilise the international energy market after meeting with his Saudi counterpart in October. Wang also thanked Riyadh for “long-term and firm support” on matters including Taiwan, Xinjiang, Hong Kong and human rights — all touchstone issues for the US.
The shift has already taken place.
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