\n\n“The Crown Prince, who is commonly known by the acronym MBS, has met with Xi before, most recently at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. Though it might seem an odd pairing, the two nations actually have quite a bit in common, including autocratic leadership, serious repression of dissent, a clear need to diversify in order to maintain economic growth, and ambitious infrastructure projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
China is Saudi Arabia\u2019s largest trading partner, with Chinese exports to the kingdom reaching $30.3 billion in 2021 and Saudi exports totaling $57 billion in the same year, according to Reuters<\/a>. Saudi oil makes up 18 percent of Beijing\u2019s total crude oil imports \u2014 worth about $55.5 billion between January and October of this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, has great ambitions<\/a> to diversify its economy<\/a>, which has for decades relied on crude oil output. But in order to do that, it needs money \u2014 oil money. That\u2019s at least part of why Saudi Arabia limited production<\/a> in the midst of a global oil crisis and prices for crude oil remain high.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Both nations also tout ambitious infrastructure projects. The Belt and Road initiative<\/a>, China\u2019s effort to create a 21st-century Silk Road international trade route by providing the finances to develop series of ports, pipelines, railroads, bridges, and other trade infrastructure to nations across Asia and Africa, is a milestone effort for Xi. It\u2019s also received major criticism for potentially exploiting poor nations by essentially loaning them money they can\u2019t pay back, in some cases granting China control over these critical hubs<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Xi\u2019s presence in Saudi Arabia, both with MBS and as part of a larger summit<\/a> with Arab and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations<\/a>, present multiple opportunities to strengthen ties with a host of nations in the region \u2014 and to make sure that in the global power competition, those nations are, at least, not aligned with the US”<\/p>\n\n\n\n …<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Saudi Arabia knows it cannot depend on generous US weapons sales under Biden<\/a>, so China is an increasingly viable alternative. In fact, Reuters reported<\/a>, Saudi Arabia is thought to have signed $30 billion in defense contracts at this summitwith China.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In forging their alliance, both nations get a strong trading partner who won\u2019t question their policies; Saudi Arabia gets a more predictable relationship in Xi than it has seen in the switch from former President Donald Trump to Biden.”
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