Saudi Arabia’s Finance Minister Mohammed al-Jadaan said on Monday at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, that Saudi Arabia could help become a bridge between the US and China at a time of geopolitical tensions. increased politics.
The comments came amid questions about what worries the minister most in 2023. He called for calm and cooperation, noting that his country was capable of maintaining an open dialogue with all the major political powers amid Russia’s war in Ukraine, the rivalry between Washington and Beijing, and a volatile energy market.
“I really think we need to focus on cooperation, cooperation, avoiding geopolitical tensions more and calling for political and calm solutions to geopolitical tensions,” al-Jadaan told Hadley. CNBC’s Gamble.
“We’ve made our position very clear on these issues – whether it’s at the UN general assembly or other forums.”
Mohammed Al-Jadaan, finance minister of Saudi Arabia, at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland
Jason Alden | Bloomberg | beautiful pictures
Asked about Saudi Arabia’s ability to facilitate dialogue between rival powers like the US and China, al-Jadaan said: “I totally agree. We have a very good relationship. Strategically with the US and we have a close relationship with China, and we think we can close the gap.”
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United States have a relationship that dates back to the 1930s, and is broadly summarized as an oil-for-security relationship. The United States has military sections in Saudi Arabia, selling advanced weapons and providing training and joint operations with the Saudi military.
The Biden administration’s critical stance toward the kingdom has poured cold water on the nearly century-old relationship recently, with Saudi Arabia later refusing to pump more oil into global markets to balance it out. by the loss of Russian supplies, despite pleas from the White House. Russia’s loss of oil and gas to Western markets stems from US and EU sanctions over Moscow’s all-out invasion of Ukraine.
Meanwhile, China has for years made strides – especially economically – as Saudi Arabia’s top trading partner and biggest buyer of its oil. Riyadh’s relationship with Beijing is functional and economic rather than strategic, meaning it is unlikely to replace the US role in the kingdom anytime soon.
However, Saudi Arabia in recent years has bought more Chinese weapons, especially those that Washington is less willing to sell to its Gulf ally, such as lethal drones. China’s technology transfers and infrastructure projects are also growing in the kingdom, as Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman seeks to diversify his country’s alliances and make it become more independent.
Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Saudi Arabia in December, and the two countries signed a strategic partnership agreement that the Chinese Foreign Ministry at the time called “an important milestone in the important history of the country.” Sino-Arabic system”.
