JEDDAH: The talks between Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah and Chinese President Hu Jintao, who is scheduled to visit Riyadh on Tuesday, will take Saudi-Sino relations to new heights, said Zhai Jun, assistant foreign minister of China.
“President Hu’s visit aims at strengthening the strategic relations between the two countries,” a Jeddah-based Arabic daily quoted the minister as saying. He said the two leaders would exchange views on major regional and international issues.
“This is the president’s second visit to Saudi Arabia within three years and it reflects the fast growing relations between the two countries,” Zhai said.
“Our two countries continue to communicate on major international issues and we have achieved fruitful results through our cooperation in the economic, commercial, cultural and educational fields,” he said.
Trade between the two countries rose to $41.79 billion last year, the minister said, adding that his government gives utmost importance to expanding cooperation with Saudi Arabia in economic, commercial, investment, energy, educational, cultural and health areas.
Saudi Arabia is the largest overseas supplier of crude oil to China, exporting about 36 million tons of crude to the country last year; but Zhai said energy collaboration with Saudi Arabia is only one part of the multilayered partnership.
During his Feb. 10-17 foreign tour, the Chinese president will also visit four African countries. “Hu’s first visit abroad after the Lunar New Year will start with Saudi Arabia before it takes him to Mali, Senegal, Tanzania and Mauritius,” China Daily said.
Saudi Ambassador to China Yahya bin Abdul Kareem Al-Zaid, said a delegation of outstanding Chinese students would visit the Kingdom. “It coincides with President Hu’s visit,” he said, adding that the students’ visit was arranged by the Saudi Embassy in cooperation with Saudi Aramco. He said the embassy would also organize a visit of Saudi students to China shortly.
Al-Zaid emphasized King Abdullah’s desire to improve relations with China. “King Abdullah advised me before leaving for Beijing that I should do everything possible to strengthen relations with China,” he told Al-Riyadh Arabic daily.
Saudi Arabia is China’s largest trading partner in West Asia and North Africa, while China is the Kingdom’s fourth largest trading partner. In the first quarter of 2008, Saudi-China trade registered a year-on-year increase of 77.4 percent to reach $8.5 billion. Saudi Arabia sent relief supplies when China was hit by a massive earthquake last year. After the disaster, Abdullah telephoned Hu to offer his sympathy and condolences to the Chinese government and people.
In a recent statement, Hu spoke highly of Abdullah and his efforts toward boosting bilateral ties. “We always treat Saudi Arabia as a sincere and reliable friend and partner,” the president said.
