The Chinese-Saudi Rapprochement Stems From Development, Friendship

The eyes of the world are focused these days on the Arabian Gulf, where several important events are taking place. The first is the World Cup, where the Asian teams in general, and the Arab teams in particular have surprised the world with their remarkable achievements. The second is the historic visit of His Excellency President Xi Jinping of China to Saudi Arabia, where he participated in the China-GCC Summit. Since the beginning of the century, the Chinese-Saudi relationship has been developing gradually on both sides. Today, they are among the strongest in the region. Throughout its history, China has pursued development based on peace and stability, contributing to the common prosperity of all nations, including the Arab world. As for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, it is the best example of a nation that committed itself to build a modern and developed state while supporting the development of its neighboring countries and region. Therefore, it should be noted that the Chinese-Saudi rapprochement in various fields stems first from development and secondly from their common ambition of openness towards the world and their hope of achieving security and peace. Anyone touring the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will find themselves surprised by the extent of development across the country. Whether in Riyadh, Jeddah, Al-Ahsa, or Jizan, it is amazing to see how things like electricity networks extend into the heart of the desert, even into the most remote areas. A small oasis of palm trees surrounded by sand dunes and an endless desert will still be connected to the grid and enjoy modern infrastructure. There is an old Chinese saying quoted by Chinese President Xi Jinping to explain the importance of development and its pivotal role in maintaining regional and global security: “whoever wants trees to grow, must establish their roots; and whoever wants rivers to be long, he must unblock their courses.” In the context of Chinese-Saudi relations, development is symbolized by the roots of trees, and friendship is symbolized by the flow of rivers. The straight path leading to the brilliant and joint achievements of the two countries does not dispense with development and friendship. –Lee Che Jun (translated by Asaf Zilberfarb)