Xi offers support for Saudi Arabia

Beijing : China has offered support for Saudi Arabia’s efforts to safeguard national sovereignty and achieve greater development.

Speaking by telephone, President Xi Jinping told Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz that China’s determination to deepen strategic cooperation with Saudi Arabia will not waver, no matter how the international and regional situation changes, China’s Foreign Ministry said late on Thursday.

The offer comes ßat a time of regional tensions between Saudi Arabia, Iran, Lebanon and Yemen.

China has traditionally played little role in Middle East conflicts or diplomacy, despite its reliance on the region for oil. But it has been trying to raise its profile, with Salman visiting China in March.

Remarking on the importance of maintaining close communication between the two countries’ heads of state, Xi said China and Saudi Arabia are comprehensive strategic partners whose strategic mutual trust is deepening.

“China supports Saudi Arabia’s efforts to safeguard national sovereignty and realise greater development,” the ministry cited Xi as saying, without elaborating.

The statement made no specific mention of issues like the resignation as Lebanon Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri while in Saudi Arabia, criticism  against Iran and its Lebanese ally Hezbollah.

Saudi-led forces, which back the government in Yemen, have also been fighting against the Iran-allied Houthi militias for more than two-years.

China has had to tread a fine line between Riyadh and Tehran as Beijing has close ties with Iran as well.

The ministry statement said Xi and the Saudi King also exchanged views on international and regional issues of common concern, but gave no details.