<Anchor>



Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Saudi Arabia.

It has been five months since US President Biden, who visited Saudi Arabia in July, returned without any significant results.

President Xi's visit is interpreted as an attempt to strengthen China's influence in the Middle East.



This is reporter Kim Yong-cheol.



<Reporter>



Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived at Riyadh airport escorted by Saudi Arabian air force aircraft.



Riyadh's governor, Prince Al Saud, emerged from the airport amid cheers and military bands.



Xi will stay in Saudi Arabia until the 10th to meet with King Abdul Aziz Al Saud and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.



She also attends the 1st China-Arab Summit and the China-Gulf Cooperation Conference.



[Mao Ning/Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson: The 1st China-Arab Summit is the largest and highest-level diplomatic event in China and the Arab world.

It will be a new milestone in China-Arab relations.] President Xi



's visit to Saudi Arabia came five months after US President Joe Biden visited Saudi Arabia in July to persuade him to increase oil production, but returned without any significant results. no see.



Xi's visit is interpreted as stepping up his influence in the Middle East at a time when relations between the United States and Saudi Arabia have grown estranged over the assassination of Saudi dissident journalist Khashoggi.



A quarter of Saudi Arabia's crude oil exports go to China.



Saudi Arabia's state-run SPA news agency announced that during Xi's visit, Saudi Arabia and China will sign a contract worth 110 billion riyals and 38.6 trillion won in Korean money.