On the third and final day of his visit, Xi Jinping participated in a summit with the six countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and another extended to Arab leaders in Riyadh.

The meetings followed bilateral talks Thursday with Saudi leaders at the end of which Riyadh and Beijing underlined "the importance of stability" in the oil markets, a point of friction with the United States which urged the Saudis to increase their production.

"China will continue to firmly support the GCC countries with a view to maintaining their security (...)", Xi Jinping said after the summit with the GCC (Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Oman) .

Xi Jinping further said that China would use a Shanghai-based platform “to settle oil and gas trade in RMB (yuan), a move that, if Gulf nations agree, could weaken dominance. US dollar world.

Asked about this at a press conference in Riyadh, the head of Saudi diplomacy Faisal bin Farhan said he had "nothing to add".

Rivalry

Oil from Saudi Arabia alone accounted for 17% of Chinese imports in 2021, and last month Qatar announced a 27-year natural gas deal with China.

China is the world's largest importer of crude oil and Saudi Arabia, leader of the GCC, is the world's largest exporter.

Photo provided by the Jordanian Royal Palace Arab leaders and Chinese President Xi Jinping during a summit in Riyadh on December 9, 2022 in Saudi Arabia © Yousef ALLAN / Jordanian Royal Palace/AFP

The visit of the Chinese president, the first in Saudi Arabia since 2016, intervened in a context of rivalry with the United States, strategic military partner of the Arab countries of the Gulf.

But historical relations between the United States and Saudi Arabia have become strained, particularly on the issue of human rights violations and oil.

Riyadh's refusal to increase its production to limit the surge in prices, in the context of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February, provoked the ire of Washington.

The United States reacted to Xi Jinping's visit, warning against "the influence that China wants to gain around the world".

Saudi officials have repeatedly stressed their commitment to close ties with the United States, but said they would not hesitate to explore relations elsewhere.

"We seek cooperation with all parties. Competition is a good thing," Prince Faisal said, adding that his country would continue to maintain strong relations with the United States "in all areas."

"We will continue to work with all of our partners... We don't believe in polarization," he added.

Agreements signed

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom's de facto ruler, addressed the two summits promising "continued Sino-Arab cooperation in the service of our common goals and the aspirations of our peoples".

The leaders of Egypt, Tunisia, Jordan as well as the Palestinian president notably took part in the Sino-Arab summit.

Photo provided by the Saudi press agency SPA of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (d) and Chinese President Xi Jinping, December 9, 2022 in Riyadh © - / SPA/AFP

On Thursday, Xi Jinping signed some 40 agreements with Saudi leaders in various fields, ranging from hydrogen to housing.

Details were not disclosed.

The Gulf countries, Washington's key partners, have increased their ties with China in recent years with the aim of diversifying their strategic relations and reducing the dependence of their economies on hydrocarbons.

The Asian giant is seeking to relaunch and expand its sphere of influence, in particular through its "New Silk Roads" initiative, a vast international investment project.

But the Gulf countries are not so united and "seem more invested in advancing bilateral ties" with Beijing, said Robert Mogielnicki of the Washington-based Arab Gulf States Institute think tank.

© 2022 AFP