Full honours for China’s Xi Jinping as US’ star fades in Middle East
- The Chinese president’s arrival in Riyadh greeted by the pomp and circumstance usually reserved for US leaders
- It was a sharp contrast to the muted welcome afforded Joe Biden just a few months earlier
Four fighter jets from the Royal Saudi Air Force escorted Xi’s plane as it entered the country’s airspace on Wednesday.
As the Air China presidential aircraft landed at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, seven aerobatic jets performed a fly-past, trailing red and yellow smoke trails representing China’s national colours.
A 21-gun salute rang out as Xi was greeted on the purple carpet by Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz, governor of the Riyadh region, and Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah.
A fleet of motorcycles led Xi’s presidential car into the city, where horsemen in traditional dress and carrying Saudi and Chinese flags took over for the final procession to the Royal Court.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, known as MBS, hosted a welcome ceremony before inviting Xi to accompany him on an inspection of the Royal Guard.
After separate meetings with the crown prince and King Salman bin Abdulaziz, Xi was awarded an honorary doctoral degree in management from King Saud University, the country’s first academic institution established in 1957.
The visit was also marked on the streets of Riyadh, with big screens displaying slogans welcoming Xi in Arabic and Chinese.
Similar pomp and ceremony was on display during Xi’s first visit to Saudi Arabia in 2016, described at the time as second only to the welcome reserved for leaders of the United States, Riyadh’s top strategic ally.
In 2017, King Salman personally welcomed then US president Donald Trump at the stairs of Air Force One and awarded him the King Abdul Aziz Collar medal, the country’s highest honour.
Since then, relations between Washington and Riyadh have been strained over a range of issues, including Biden’s criticism of the crown prince and prime minister in relation to the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
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China’s Xi Jinping visits Saudi Arabia in bid to boost ties amid strained US-Saudi relations
When Biden arrived in the Gulf port city of Jeddah, the highest ranking official waiting on the tarmac to greet him was Prince Khalid bin Faisal Al Saud, governor of Mecca province.
And, when he met MBS – in a failed bid to secure an increase in oil production – the pair exchanged a fist bump, but no smiles.
Xi and King Salman signed a comprehensive strategic partnership on Wednesday and agreed to biennial meetings between the heads of the two states on a rotating basis.
During his talks with MBS, Xi said the strategic and global nature of Sino-Saudi relations had become more prominent, “as the current international and regional situation evolves in a profound and complex manner”.
“China places the development of its relations with Saudi Arabia as a priority in its overall diplomacy, especially in the Middle East,” Xi said.
