China endorses KSA’s counterterrorism strategy

China supports the Kingdom’s efforts to counter terrorism and maintain the stability and security of the Gulf Cooperation Council region, a Chinese diplomat said Thursday.
The country also considers Saudi Arabia an important business partner, with which it has growing relations, said Chinese Consul General An Waer during a meeting with Arab News Editor in Chief Mohammed Fahad Al-Harthi and senior editors at the newspaper’s offices.
“Our diplomatic relationship started some 25 years ago and has been improving steadily ever since. Last year, the trade volume between the two sides amounted to more than $73 billion, with $50 billion in favor of Saudi Arabia. This figure is expected to reach around $100 billion in the coming three years,” he said.
The Chinese official said that more than 1,500 Saudis are enrolled at Chinese universities, while nearly 600 Chinese students are studying in the Kingdom as part of the two countries’ efforts to improve cultural understanding.
In addition, the Chinese diplomatic missions in Riyadh and Jeddah issued around 50,000 visas to Saudis in 2014, said the consul general.
He said there are several investment opportunities for businesspeople in the Kingdom and China. China has investments worth over $20 billion in this country, he said.
“We expect the figure to increase thanks to the constant revision of regulations and laws by the Saudi side to encourage and facilitate more foreign investments in the Kingdom,” he said.
According to official Chinese figures, around 20,000 Chinese Muslims who arrived here in the 1930s have received Saudi citizenship. In addition, more than 10,000 Chinese citizens are working on projects in the Kingdom.