Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz also held discussions with Xi Jinping focussing on developing cooperation to counter terrorism.
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Saudi Arabia and China have signed several bilateral agreements including a memorandum of understanding to build a nuclear reactor, the official Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has commenced a three-nation Middle Eastern tour with a visit to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, seeking closer military, political and economic ties with the region.
A framework agreement for strategic cooperation was also signed between state-owned Saudi Aramco and China’s Sinopec.
President Xi offered his best wishes to the people in Saudi Arabia and said that diplomatic relations between the countries had come a long way since they were first established in 1990.
He will also meet chiefs of the Gulf Cooperation Council and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. China is the largest importer of crude oil from both Saudi Arabia and Iran, who are now in a bitter dispute over Riyadh’s execution of a Shia cleric.
He noted that following the 2008 quake that hit China’s Sichuan Province, Saudi Arabia provided more than $60 million in assistance, the greatest assistance package ever received by the Chinese government.
“The kingdom of Saudi Arabia and China are seeking together for stability and promoting peace and security in the world”, SPA quoted King Salman as saying.
In Iran, Xi will meet Iranian President Hassan Rouhani as Tehran looks to attract foreign investment following the lifting of nuclear sanctions.
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Islamabad, Jan.20: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has said Pakistan’s initiative for a’mediation trip’to Saudi Arabia and Iran has been welcomed by both countries and he expected it to progress.
