BEIJING: Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad met with the Chinese President Xi Jinping here on Friday and declared his country’s support to China for its active role in regional and international affairs.
During the meeting held at the Great Hall of the People, he said Saudi Arabia attaches great importance to China’s active role in international and regional affairs and is willing to strengthen communication and coordination with China.
He said, Saudi Arabia is full of confidence in China’s bright development prospects under the leadership of President Xi.
They regard China as an important strategic partner, and thanks China for its support for Saudi domestic reform and development.
Saudi Arabia is willing to link the “2030 Vision” of Saudi Arabia with the “One Belt, One Road” initiative to further deepen pragmatic cooperation in various fields between the two countries.
Prince Muhammad added, Saudi Arabia firmly adheres to the one-China policy. China has the right to take anti-terrorism and de-extremization measures for safeguarding national security.
Xi Jinping pointed out that in recent years, under the leadership of the two sides, the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Saudi Arabia has formed a new pattern of all-round, multi-level and wide-ranging areas.
The Chinese side regards Saudi Arabia as a good friend and good partner. It is willing to join hands with the Saudi side to carry forward the past and continue to create a new situation of friendship and strategic relations between China and Saudi Arabia
Xi Jinping emphasized that China and Saudi Arabia should continue to support each other and promote political mutual trust on issues involving core interests and major concerns.
China firmly supports the economic diversification and social reforms promoted by the Saudi side and firmly supports the efforts of the Saudi side to safeguard national sovereignty, security and stability, and opposes any interference in Saudi internal affairs.
The two countries should strengthen the development strategy, deepen the integration of interests, accelerate the signing of the “One Belt and One Road” initiative and Saudi Arabia’s “2030 Vision” docking implementation plan, and promote bilateral and pragmatic cooperation in all fields to achieve new results, he added.
Xi Jinping pointed out that China supports the peace demands of the people in the Middle East, supports the reform and transformation efforts of the countries in the region, appreciates Saudi Arabia’s active efforts to maintain regional peace, stability and development, and is willing to work with Saudi Arabia to explore the Middle East governance of “promoting peace through development”.
The two sides should promote counter-terrorism cooperation in the Middle East, strengthen international cooperation, and prevent the spread of extreme ideas, he added.
Chinese State leaders Yang Jiechi, Wang Yi and He Lifeng attended the meeting.
BOOSTING COOPERATION
China-Saudi Arabia High-Level Joint Committee, an important platform for cooperation, Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng Friday said during the third meeting of the joint committee co-chaired with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud in Beijing here.
The Chinese vice premier said China-Saudi Arabia ties had been developing rapidly in recent years, according to a report of state-run China Global Television.
At the meeting, the vice premier proposed four points to move forward cooperation including deepening political mutual trust, supporting each others core interests and strengthening communication in multilateral affairs seeking deeper synergy of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the Saudi Vision 2030 plan to enhance cooperation in energy, infrastructure construction, finance, and high technology, boosting cooperation in anti-terrorism and law enforcement and Enhancing cultural and people-to-people exchanges.
The crown prince said Saudi Arabia attaches great importance to its comprehensive strategic partnership with China and will stick to the one-China policy, and firmly support China’s efforts in protecting national sovereignty, peace and security.
He said Saudi Arabia was willing to jointly cooperate with China under the framework of the BRI to bring benefits to the two peoples.
The Chinese premier and Mohammed bin Salman signed a document on the third meeting of the China-Saudi Arabia High-Level Joint Committee, and they also witnessed the signing of cooperative agreements in various areas including politics, marine transportation, production capacity, energy, and finance.
SAUDI ARABIA ANNOUNCES MOU WITH CHINA IN ENERGY
The Public Investment Fund (PIF) of Saudi Arabia, announced Friday the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Energy Administration in the People’s Republic of China to cooperate in the renewable energy sector.
The MoU will strengthen cooperation between the two entities in the renewable energy sector and utilize the Saudi Arabia’s position as a hub for manufacturing and development of renewable energy projects.
This MoU highlights PIF’s desire to invest in renewable energy, and to localize the renewable energy sector, helping the Kingdom to become a global player in this field.
The MoU will enable PIF to contribute and support the development of renewable energy manufacturing, generation and technology in the Kingdom’s over the coming ten years.
It will contribute to strengthen PIF’s efforts to create international strategic partnerships, in order to develop the domestic infrastructure projects, create jobs, encourage private sector institutions to enter into investment and trade partnerships and, accordingly, accelerate the track localization and R&D in the renewable energy sector in Saudi Arabia.
