Chinese President leaves Riyadh after visit to forge closer ties with Gulf and Arab states

Xi Jinping attended first China-Arab States Summit and the China-GCC Summit in Riyadh

Xi Jinping, President of the People's Republic of China, leaves Riyadh. SPA

Mr Xi during the China-Arab Summit in Riyadh. AFP

Mr Xi and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. AP

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani and Mr Xi.

Saudi Arabia's King Salman welcomes Mr Xi to Riyadh. EPA

The Chinese president is on a three-day working visit to Saudi Arabia. EPA

He will attend a GCC summit, a wider China-Arab conference and also seek to strengthen ties with Saudi Arabia. EPA

Saudi Arabia and China signed agreements on 'harmonising' the kingdom's Vision 2030 plan and China's Belt and Road Initiative on Thursday. EPA

The new agreements also covered judicial assistance, direct investments, education and hydrogen energy. EPA

King Salman and Mr Xi agreed to hold meetings every two years. AFP

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman welcomes Mr Xi during a ceremony in the capital, Riyadh. AFP

Mr Xi met Prince Mohammed on the second day of his state visit to Saudi Arabia. Reuters

They shook hands in the Royal Court in Riyadh before Prince Mohammed led Mr Xi inside to meet King Salman. AFP

Mr Xi will attend the inaugural China-Arab States Summit. Saudi Press Agency

It is only Mr Xi's third overseas visit since the outbreak of Covid-19. SPA

Mr Xi is greeted by Prince Faisal bin Bandar, Governor of Riyadh. SPA

A billboard welcomes the Chinese president to Saudi Arabia. AFP

Saudi and Chinese flags adorn a street a street in Riyadh before the arrival of Mr Xi. AFP

Chinese President Xi Jinping left Riyadh on Saturday after an official visit that aimed to forge closer ties with Saudi Arabia and Arab states.

Mr Xi was seen off at King Khalid International Airport by Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz, Governor of Riyadh, and Prince Faisal bin Farhan, the kingdom’s Minister of Foreign Affairs.

The Chinese president arrived in the kingdom on Wednesday and was given a lavish welcome that was broadcast on Saudi television, with his plane receiving an escort from four Royal Saudi Air Force jets, before being accompanied by six aerobatic jets that created green smoke trails.

After signing a number of agreements with Saudi Arabia on the first two days of his visit, Mr Xi attended GCC-China and Arab-China summits in Riyadh on Friday.

The GCC states and China agreed on a four-year joint plan of action to enhance their strategic partnership, according to a statement released on Friday.

The participants agreed to strengthen co-operation on economic recovery after the Covid-19 pandemic and "ensure flexibility on supply chains, food security and green energy", as well in the space and health sectors.

Mr Xi announced the setting up of China-GCC investment council.

The summits also expressed support for the one-China policy.

“Sino-Gulf relations are based on mutual trust,” Mr Xi noted.

“We must strengthen co-operation and trust, support multi-polarity, and not interfere in others' affairs. Our relations reflect support for multi-polarity and joint co-operation.”

Participants also called for Iran's "full co-operation" with the UN nuclear watchdog "to ensure the peaceful nature of the Iranian nuclear programme".

At the Arab-China summit, the participants agreed to co-operate in eight broad sectors, including energy, security, healthcare, technology and humanitarian assistance.

China's Foreign Ministry said the gathering was the “largest and highest-level diplomatic event between China and the Arab world since the founding of the People’s Republic of China”.

Mr Xi's visit to Saudi Arabia was only his third overseas trip since the outbreak of Covid-19 in late 2019.

The pandemic has heavily affected China's international trade due to strict entry requirements.

On Thursday, Mr Xi and Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman signed agreements on “harmonising” the kingdom's Vision 2030 plan and China's Belt and Road Initiative.

The agreements covered judicial assistance, direct investments, education and hydrogen energy, Saudi state media reported.

The kingdom signed a memorandum with China's Huawei Technologies on cloud computing and building high-tech complexes in Saudi cities. Huawei has participated in building 5G networks in most Gulf states.

China is the largest trading partner for Arab states, with trade surging from $239.8 billion in 2020 to $330.3 billion in 2021. Their trade this year is estimated to be $319.3 billion, according to figures from the China-Arab States Co-operation Forum, Chinese National Bureau of Statistics, the Chinese General Administration of Customs and China's Ministry of Commerce.