China, Arab nations hold high the banner of noninterference

President Xi Jinping's visit to Saudi Arabia has been dubbed a game-changing event. The visit was made at a critical time when an economic crisis, food insecurity, climate disasters and the Russia-Ukraine conflict have bogged down the global economic development agenda.

The world is desperately trying to sail through the arduous winds of problems and overcome multifaceted challenges. Senseless hegemonic aspirations are not only further aggravating the situation, but also serving as the cause of most of the problems. Western nations are striving hard to sustain their hegemony under the leadership of the United States. They are pressing selected developing countries to stand with the West in their hegemonic endeavor and their great game against China. Arab countries are no exception.

The argument is substantiated by the agenda of US President Joe Biden's visit to the Middle East in July. He explicitly asked Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries to stand on the side of the US. The US desperately wants Saudi Arabia on its side to help safeguard its economic and strategic interests. Biden sought to persuade Saudi Arabia to meet the energy demands of the US, at the preference of the US. The US also does not like Saudi Arabia's close relations with China and is trying to convince Riyadh to keep a distance from Beijing.

On Wednesday, the US issued a strong statement on President Xi's visit to Saudi Arabia. A spokesman for the US National Security Council said that the Chinese way of creating influence is not conducive to global order.

The spokesman also mentioned that the US is busy analyzing and reviewing its relationship with Saudi Arabia. These are very strong statements, and some experts consider them a warning to Saudi Arabia.

China has no such ambitions or desires. China is neither asking Arab countries to choose sides nor compelling them to form an alliance with it against the West. China pursues mutually beneficial relationships and strongly opposes any sort of interference in other countries' internal matters.

While traveling to Saudi Arabia, Xi categorically reiterated that China does not seek to interfere in the internal affairs of other countries. In an article published in the Saudi newspaper Al Riyadh, he wrote that China and Arab countries will continue to hold high the banner of noninterference in internal affairs. He also urged all partner countries to join hands to strengthen the global order by respecting the sovereignty and integrity of other countries.

Furthermore, China believes in shared prosperity and looks at the world as a community with a shared future. Thus, it seeks to build closer economic, trade, development and investment links with other countries. Xi, who carried the same message to Saudi Arabia, announced that China will strengthen bilateral economic links and look for opportunities to enhance relations.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud echoed the sentiments. He said he is opposed to any sort of interference in the internal affairs of China. The Saudi crown prince said, "We (Arabs) have a history of thousands of years of relationship with China, but we never faced challenges or interference from China."

On the basis of experience, both sides have shown great enthusiasm for strengthening and enhancing bilateral relations in the fields of economy and security.

It is pertinent to highlight that China and Saudi Arabia already have very comprehensive economic ties. China is Saudi Arabia's largest trading partner, with their trade volume exceeding $87 billion in 2021.Saudi Arabia is the largest oil exporter to China. China invested $43.47 billion in Saudi Arabia between 2005 and 2021, and Saudi Arabia received $5.5 billion in 2022 under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, which makes it the biggest recipient of Chinese investment.

Apart from these factors, the visit was also important in the context of future relations between China and Saudi Arabia. Both countries are transforming their economic structures, and they are looking for reliable partners.

Saudi Arabia, through its Vision 2030, has accelerated the process of transformation. The Saudi crown prince is trying to diversify the Saudi economy and move away from dependence on oil exports. He is looking for new drivers of economic growth and industrialization. He is also pushing the country to develop its technology and service sectors. China is viewed as a reliable partner for that purpose.

China also needs reliable partners who can withstand Western pressure. Thus, both countries are working to create synergies between their respective development strategies.

In pursuance of this objective, China and Saudi Arabia have signed a comprehensive partnership and 34 agreements. The list of agreements is comprehensive, covering areas such as technology, trade, investment, energy and tourism.

China and Saudi Arabia are natural partners, as both oppose any sort of interference in the internal matters of countries and seek to promote economic linkages to foster global development. Therefore, it is hoped that the China-Saudi Arabia partnership will usher in a new era of development, prosperity and sustainable peace in the region and beyond. The partnership also carries a message for the US and its allies that the world wants win-win cooperation, not zero-sum games.

The author is chief executive officer of the Asian Institute of Eco-civilization Research and Development and a visiting research fellow at Hebei University.