China and Saudi Arabia Celebrate 35 Years of Diplomatic Relations

Strategic Insights -

China and Saudi Arabia's diplomatic relations have experienced significant growth over the past 35 years, marked by pragmatic cooperation, cultural exchanges, and a deepening of strategic partnerships. The two countries have established a comprehensive strategic partnership, with bilateral relations entering a new stage after President Xi Jinping's visit to Saudi Arabia in 2016 and King Salman's visit to China in 2017. The China-Saudi Arabia relationship is built on mutual respect, equality, and win-win cooperation, with a strong foundation of trust and mutual benefit.

Key Takeaways:

  • China and Saudi Arabia have established a comprehensive strategic partnership, with bilateral relations entering a new stage after President Xi Jinping's visit to Saudi Arabia in 2016 and King Salman's visit to China in 2017.
  • The two countries have made significant progress in pragmatic cooperation, with trade volume reaching US$107.5 billion in 2024, an increase of more than 210 times compared to the trade volume of only US$500 million when the two countries established diplomatic relations.
  • China-Saudi Arabia cooperation has broad prospects, with the two countries collaborating in fields such as digital economy, green development, artificial intelligence, electric vehicles, and finance.
  • The people-to-people bond is the source of the development of China-Saudi Arabia relations, with cultural exchanges and mutual learning of civilizations continuing to deepen.
  • China and Saudi Arabia are both striving to promote their respective development strategies, with China aiming to promote high-quality development and high-level opening up, and Saudi Arabia working towards the goal of "Vision 2030".
  • The two countries are willing to work together to take the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations as a new starting point, continue to carry forward traditional friendship, deepen political mutual trust, and strengthen the docking of development strategies.

Statistics:

  • China-Saudi Arabia trade volume reached US$107.5 billion in 2024, an increase of more than 210 times compared to the trade volume of only US$500 million when the two countries established diplomatic relations.
  • In 2024, China was Saudi Arabia's largest trading partner, and Saudi Arabia was China's largest trading partner and main source of energy supply in West Asia and North Africa.
  • The China-Saudi Arabia High-Level Committee has held four meetings to promote the in-depth docking of the development strategies of the two countries.
  • In 2016 and 2019, Crown Prince Mohammed visited China twice, and in 2022, President Xi Jinping visited Saudi Arabia again and signed the China-Saudi Arabia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement with King Salman.

Sources:

  • Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China
  • Contify.com (2021)