Riyadh: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said on Friday, December 9, 2022, that the Gulf-Chinese summit establishes a new historical phase in Chinese-Gulf cooperation.
This came in an opening speech at the launch of the 43rd Gulf summit in Riyadh, with the participation of leaders and representatives of the Gulf countries, at the King Abdulaziz International Conference Center in Riyadh, in the presence of Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Bin Salman said that the Gulf-Chinese summit establishes a new historical phase in the Gulf-Chinese cooperation, expressing the Kingdom’s aspiration to cooperate with China in various fields.
“We meet in light of challenges and exceptional circumstances that require us to cooperate,” he adds.
“The summit reflects the common desire to strengthen Chinese-Gulf cooperation,” he said, praising Beijing’s success story.
“We discussed the establishment of a Chinese-Gulf free trade zone, and we are exploring opportunities for cooperation with China in the areas of food security and supply chains,” he added.
The Saudi crown prince stressed the agreement with China on the need to confront the common challenges facing humanity.
He also said that the GCC countries affirm their continued role as a reliable source of energy to meet the needs of the world and China.
The Saudi crown prince stressed that strengthening security and stability in the region will only be achieved with the exit of “militias” from the region, and the cessation of foreign interference in its affairs.
Bin Salman added, “We discussed the establishment of a Chinese-Gulf free trade zone, and we are exploring opportunities for cooperation with China in the areas of food security and supply chains.”
Chinese President: We will continue our support for Gulf security
For his part, Chinese President Xi Jinping said, “We appreciate Saudi Arabia’s efforts to host the first Chinese-Gulf summit.”
“The GCC has succeeded in overcoming global challenges,” Xi said, noting that the Gulf countries and China can achieve economic and industrial integration.
The Chinese president affirmed that his country has been communicating with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) since its inception, indicating that his country should strengthen our economic partnership, achieve integration and push development.
He also said, “We will continue our unwavering support for the security of the Gulf states.”
He also continued, “We welcome the participation of the Gulf states in the global security initiative.” He also said, “We are working together to achieve the principle of non-interference in the affairs of other countries.”
The Chinese president also said that China and the Gulf countries should make full use of the Shanghai Oil and Gas Exchange as a platform for settling oil and gas trade in yuan.
It is noteworthy that Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Saudi Arabia, on Wednesday, on a 3-day official visit, during which he holds bilateral meetings and participate in 3 summits.
The 3 summits are
- Saudi-Chinese summit chaired by King Salman bin Abdulaziz and the Chinese president, with the participation of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
- Gulf-Chinese summit with the participation of the leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council.
- Arab-Chinese summit with the participation of leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council and Arab countries.
