Saudi-China talks focus on Syria

Crown Prince Salman, deputy premier and minister of defense, and visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks here on key regional issues including the bloodshed in Syria, the Middle East peace process, and expanding trade ties between the two countries.
Several high-ranking Saudi and Chinese officials including Prince Saud Al-Faisal, minister of foreign affairs, attended the talks.
Prince Saud and Wang earlier exchanged views on a range of bilateral and regional issues including the Iranian nuclear pact and energy security.
Addressing a press conference after his talks at the Conference Palace here, Wang said: “China is working closely with its allies in the Middle East including Saudi Arabia to ensure peace and security in the region.”
In his talks with Crown Prince Salman and Prince Saud, Wang said he shared Saudi concerns about the civil strife in Syria and ways to halt Iran’s nuclear program.
“China’s relations with the Kingdom are not limited to the energy sector … in fact, China is cooperating with Riyadh in several areas including politics, regional affairs and the railway sector.”
Wang said he also met GCC Secretary General Abdullateef Al-Zayani to discuss regional issues and growing GCC-Sino relations.
Wang said Beijing wants to “expand economic, trade and investment relations” with GCC countries.
Asked about his talks with Prince Saud, he said China and Saudi Arabia have excellent ties in politics, commerce and energy security.
In an earlier briefing, Dean Li Lianghua, a spokesman for the Chinese Embassy, told Arab News that Saudi Arabia is China’s largest energy supplier, accounting for about 20 percent of Chinese crude oil imports.