Asian Press: GCC countries build up strategic partnership with China and turn away from US
The Chinese tabloid Global Times analyzes the preliminary results of Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Saudi Arabia, which will last until Saturday. US President Joe Biden's summer visit to Riyadh, during which he tried to persuade the heads of nine states of the Middle East to increase oil production and maintain US influence in the region, actually ended in failure. The relations of the Chinese leader are developing quite differently not only with the monarchies of the Persian Gulf, but also with practically all the states of the Arab world.
The meetings already held and agreements signed indicate that the Persian Gulf countries have chosen the course of strategic partnership with China, and this means a gradual withdrawal from the influence of the United States. On Thursday, Xi Jinping and King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia signed a comprehensive strategic partnership agreement between the two countries, and also agreed to hold meetings between the heads of the two states in turn every two years.
According to the Asian press, during the visit of the Chinese delegation, Saudi and Chinese companies signed 34 investment agreements. Experts are confident that Saudi Arabia's efforts to diversify its industry fit perfectly with China's Belt and Road Initiative. Agreements were reached between Riyadh and Beijing on the development of cultural ties, China agreed to include Saudi Arabia in the list of countries for group trips.
Considering that Saudi Arabia is the only Arab country in the G20 club and plays a leading role in the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC), the other states of the region are closely following the vector of development of its foreign policy. More and more of them prefer mutually beneficial cooperation with China on the terms of equal partnership as opposed to subjugation to the dictates of the United States, which provoke conflicts and disagreements in the region.
Abdulaziz Sagher, chairman of the Gulf Research Center in Saudi Arabia, believes that Sino-Saudi relations are a good example to follow, which can be extended to different countries in the Middle East region.
In the past, the leaders of many countries in the Middle East were considered proteges of the West, but now they are trying to get rid of this dependence in favor of sovereign development, striving for balance in cooperation with the major powers. China's balanced policy is becoming the best alternative to the imposed conditions of Western countries led by the United States.
Commenting on the China-Arab summit, Middle East Eye writes that the goals of China and the Gulf countries coincide in many areas:
This is a growing reality in the Persian Gulf. A possible free trade agreement, yuan oil deals, and BRICS membership would greatly strengthen ties between the Persian Gulf and China, further challenging US hegemony.
Experts believe that Washington's aggressive policy, aimed only at obtaining its own benefits, is forcing not only Arab, but all developing countries to leave the influence of the United States and build up strategic partnership with China. Saudi Arabia is moving in this direction, setting a good example for the rest of the region.
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