Chinese President Xi Jinping offered Saudi Arabia’s King Salman what state media called “unwavering cooperation” in a phone call on Thursday, the first high-level statement out of Beijing since Riyadh arrested a number of influential government officials and businessmen on corruption charges.
In addition to a sweeping corruption crackdown, Saudi Arabia found itself embroiled in a regional crisis as former Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri resigned from his post this month and re-emerged in Saudi Arabia, alleging that Iranian terrorists were plotting to kill him.
The Chinese state outlet Global Times reported that Xi affirmed to Salman that China’s support to Riyadh “will not waver, no matter how the international and regional situation alters.” Salman, in turn, reportedly told Xi that “his country was ready to become an important partner of China in the Gulf region and commit to enhancing their bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership.”
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