King’s visit to China reflects Saudi Arabia’s position globally, experts say

Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz (2nd R) takes part in a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping (not pictured) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, in this March 16, 2017 photo. (AFP)

RIYADH: The visit of King Salman to China has underscored the important position enjoyed by the Kingdom in the international community, business leaders told local media.
Ahmed Al-Rajihi, board chairman of Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI), said the king’s visit to China opens a new chapter in Saudi-Chinese strategic relations.
He said the agreements worth nearly $65 billion and signed by the two sides embodies promising future aspects of cooperation between the two countries.
The agreements also constitute one supportive step to the Kingdom’s plans re-build its national economy in a manner that will lessen dependence on oil as a sole income source, within the framework of Vision 2030 and the National Transformation Program (2020), he said.
Prince Abdullah bin Miteb bin Abdullah said the king’s visit to Asian countries has enormous importance in view of delicate political and economic conditions witnessed by the region.
The visit is expected to push the Saudi economy to further heights, notably after the signing of a series of economic, trade and investment deals by both sides, he said.
He said the visit comes within the framework of the Kingdom’s keenness to diversify its partnerships with the East Asian countries, and enhance its position as a key and historic bridge between the Asian and African continents.
He praised King Salman’s vision in offering effective solutions for problems facing not only the Islamic world, but also the international community, including extremism and terrorism. He said King Salman’s proposal on terrorism carries hope for a bright future for all countries of the world in order to reach peace and stability.
Ahmed bin Misfir Al-Ghamdi, deputy president of Saudi Telecom Company (STC), said the king’s visit to Asia reflects the Kingdom’s leading role in serving Islam and all people.
The visit reflects the Kingdom’s endeavors to cement Islamic solidarity and encourage the ranks of united Muslims to allow them to enjoy their true position among the world countries thanks to their enormous potentials and resources, he said.
He said the visit has also effectively contributed to support the Saudi leadership’s plans to increase of foreign investments and enhance the role of small and medium enterprises (SMEs), and raising its share to the gross domestic product (GDP) from 20 percent to 35 percent.
He stressed the importance of benefiting from the experiences of progressive Asian countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia, China and Japan in supporting the growth of the national economy.