China's Xi Jinping set to visit Saudi Arabia amid strained relations with US

The President of China, Xi Jinping is scheduled to arrive in Saudi Arabia on Thursday in the midst of the ongoing high-level tension between the United States and the two nations. According to a source with information about the trip, Jinping will visit Saudi Arabia for a two-day state visit. Furthermore, four more sources revealed that the President’s trip to Riyadh would include a China-GCC meeting and a China-Arab summit, CNN reported.  

As per the Arab diplomatic source who called the visit a "milestone" for Arab-Chinese ties, at least 14 heads of state from the Arab countries are anticipated to attend the China-Arab summit. 

It is pertinent to mention that even though Beijing has not formally declared that Jinping would go to Saudi Arabia, there have been reports of a Chinese President visiting the US' biggest Middle Eastern ally for months. However, neither the Saudi Arabian nor the Chinese governments have officially acknowledged them. 

US disagreements with Beijing and Riyadh

Besides this, the reports of the long-awaited trip came amid a series of US disagreements with Beijing and Riyadh, that, much to Washington's dismay, have only strengthened ties in recent years. 

Notably, in the month of October, the Saudi-led oil cartel OPEC+ had reduced production by two million barrels per day in an attempt to "stabilize" prices. This sparked a heated dispute over oil production between the US and Saudi Arabia that is still ongoing. The choice was made despite a vigorous US opposition effort.  

According to the CNN report, Saudi Arabia, a longtime friend of the United States for eight decades, has become resentful of what it sees as a diminishing US security presence in the area, particularly in light of rising threats from Iran and its armed proxies in Yemen. 

In addition to this, the US and China have been at differences over Taiwan, which US President Joe Biden has frequently promised to defend if China invades. The sensitive subject has seriously strained relations between Washington and Beijing, who are already vying for sway in the tumultuous Middle East. 

China has been strengthening its connections with Gulf states as well as with US adversaries Iran and Russia, while American allies in the Arab Gulf blame Washington for lagging behind on its security commitments in the area. 
Regarding the conflict in Ukraine, China, as well as Saudi Arabia, have both established positions that differ from those of the West. Both parties have abstained from supporting sanctions on Russia, and Riyadh has insisted time and time again that Moscow is an important energy partner that needs to be involved in OPEC+ decisions. Some US officials have charged Saudi Arabia with siding with Russia and supporting President Vladimir Putin's assault on Ukraine in the wake of last month's significant oil supply decrease. 

(Image: AP)