Chinese President Xi Jinping to meet Saudi king, crown prince

RIYADH: Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to meet Saudi Arabia's king and powerful crown prince on December 8 in a visit that has shown muscular outreach to the Arab world and earned a rebuke from Washington.

Saudi state media said that about US $30 billion will be signed on Thursday as China seeks to shore up its COVID 19 hit economy and as the Saudis continue to push to diversify their economic and political alliances.

On Thursday, Arab leaders began to converge on the Saudi capital ahead of a summit with Xi, the leader of the world's second biggest economy, who will hold separate talks with the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council before leaving on Friday.

China, the top consumer of Saudi oil, has been strengthening its trade and political ties with a region that relies on the United States for military protection, but it has voiced concerns over a downgraded American presence.

Saudi state media announced 34 investment agreements in sectors such as green hydrogen, information technology, transport and construction hours after Xi arrived on Wednesday, with formation jets flying overhead.

State broadcaster Al Ekhbariya said another 20 agreements worth 110 billion Riyals US $29.3 billion were due to be signed on Thursday.

Saudi and Chinese officials have not provided any information about Xi's schedule but Riyadh-based diplomats said Thursday was expected to be devoted to meetings with King Salman, the 86-year-old monarch, and his son, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, 37-year-old de facto ruler.