RIYADH-Chinese President Xi Jinping will arrive in Saudi Arabia today (Wednesday) for a three-day visit, his first to the world’s biggest crude oil exporter since 2016, Saudi state media reported on Tuesday. The visit will include a bilateral summit chaired by Saudi King Salman and attended by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom’s de facto ruler, the official Saudi Press Agency reported.
Xi, head of the world’s second-biggest economy, will also attend a summit with rulers from the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council and talks convening leaders from elsewhere in the Middle East, the state news agency said.
China is Saudi Arabia’s biggest customer for crude oil, purchasing roughly a quarter of Saudi oil exports. Beyond energy, analysts say leaders from the two countries are expected to discuss potential deals that could see Chinese firms become more deeply involved in mega-projects.