Akhannouch Represents Morocco’s King in Arab-Chinese Summit in Riyadh

Head of Moroccan Govt. Aziz Akhannouch is representing King Mohammed VI in the 1st Arab-Chinese summit to open this Friday in Riyadh, to give a new momentum to economic, scientific and technological partnership between Beijing and Arab countries.

The summiteers will also discuss multiform cooperation prospects in various strategic sectors for shared prosperity as well as common economic and political challenges.

In 2021, trade exchanges between China and Arab countries reached $330 billion as economic cooperation between the two sides continues developing in all sectors.

The Arab-China summit comes amid the new global order taking form, the Russia-Ukraine war, increasing threats from Iran’s nuclear program, instability in the Middle-east, US-China tensions, soaring inflation, looming global recession and alarming global warming earth.

In an Op-Ed published in Saudi newspaper Al Riyadh, President Xi Jinping said that his visit to Saudi Arabia “will usher in a new era in China’s relations with the Arab world, with Arab states of the Gulf and with Saudi Arabia.”

“The Arab people value independence, oppose external interference, stand up to power politics and high-handedness, and always seek to make progress”, he added, affirming that China and Arab states will “continue to hold high the banner of non-interference in internal affairs, firmly support each other in safeguarding sovereignty and territorial integrity, and jointly uphold international fairness and justice”.

The Arab Gulf countries, strategic partners of Washington, are enhancing ties with China in a bid to diversify their fossil fuel-reliant economies, while Beijing is trying to widen its sphere of influence, notably through its Belt and Road Initiative, in which it is providing funding for infrastructure projects around the world.

Commenting China’s rapprochement to Arab world, the White House said it was “not a surprise” that Xi is traveling around the world and to the Middle East.

“We’re mindful of the influence that China is trying to grow around the world,” affirmed John Kirby, the strategic communications coordinator at the US National Security Council.

On the eve of the summit, President Xi, who is on a first visit to Saudi Arabia since 2016 and only his third overseas trip since the coronavirus pandemic began, met with King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The meeting highlighted by deals on everything from hydrogen energy to housing, although few details were released.