China–Saudi warming

Xi Jinping used a phone call with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on April 20 to promise closer China-Saudi ties as Beijing pushed its diplomacy deeper into the Gulf. (mfa.gov.cn) China’s foreign ministry said Xi told Mohammed that Beijing “attaches great importance” to relations with Saudi Arabia and wants to deepen strategic trust and practical cooperation. The Chinese readout said the call came on the 10th anniversary of the countries’ “comprehensive strategic partnership.” (mfa.gov.cn) The same call also touched the region’s immediate security crisis. Reuters reported Xi urged normal passage through the Strait of Hormuz, a key oil shipping route, to be maintained while Beijing stepped up efforts to help end the Iran war. (usnews.com) Saudi Arabia matters to China as both an oil supplier and an investment partner. Saudi data cited by Xinhua showed China was the kingdom’s top trading partner in the third quarter of 2025, taking 14.9% of Saudi exports and supplying 27.6% of its imports. (english.news.cn) The relationship has widened beyond crude. Aramco, Sinopec and their Yasref joint venture signed a framework agreement on April 9, 2025 for a petrochemical expansion in Yanbu, tying Saudi industrial plans more tightly to a Chinese state energy company. (aramco.com) That fits Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2030 program, which aims to build industries beyond oil, and China’s Belt and Road push, which has increasingly been matched to Saudi priorities. Carnegie’s Hesham Alghannam wrote in January 2025 that the recent “big push” in ties came after Riyadh pressed Beijing to meet Saudi development needs. (carnegieendowment.org) Beijing has been working the same Gulf circuit with other energy producers and regional powers. Reuters noted Xi’s call with Mohammed followed a meeting in Beijing the previous week with the crown prince of Abu Dhabi, where Xi also pressed for adherence to international law in the Middle East. (usnews.com) China cast the April 20 exchange as steady partnership rather than a one-off gesture. Its foreign ministry said Beijing is ready to work with Riyadh on “mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit,” language that has become the standard frame for a relationship now anchored in energy, investment and regional diplomacy. (mfa.gov.cn)