[Cover Story] China-Saudi Arabia Elevate to 'Comprehensive Strategic Partnership'... Is a Break with the US Accelerating?

"US-Saudi Relations at the Same Level"
"The Era of Monogamy with the US Has Ended"

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee, Beijing=Special Correspondent Hyunjung Kim] Marking the visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping, China and Saudi Arabia signed a 'Comprehensive Strategic Partnership' agreement and pledged to hold regular summit meetings, showcasing their friendship. This diplomatic achievement by China stands in stark contrast to the controversy over neglect during President Joe Biden's visit in July, drawing global attention.

The U.S. government has shown little overt reaction to the close ties between China and Saudi Arabia but has subtly expressed displeasure by hinting at the possibility of resetting relations with Saudi Arabia. As the U.S. continues its Middle East exit strategy, China's rapid expansion of influence is expected to trigger severe geopolitical shifts due to clashes between the U.S. and China in the region.

According to Saudi SPA news agency on the 8th (local time), Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks at the Saudi royal palace with King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who also serves as Prime Minister. During the meeting, the two leaders signed the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership agreement.

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

This development is seen as elevating diplomatic relations between China and Saudi Arabia to the same level as those between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia. According to The Washington Post (WP), the U.S. and Saudi Arabia have maintained a strategic partnership since establishing diplomatic relations in 1945 and are known as traditional allies, but they have never formed a formal alliance beyond that.

China and Saudi Arabia also agreed to hold regular summit meetings every two years. China's Xinhua News Agency emphasized that President Xi's visit to Saudi Arabia marks the beginning of a sustained cooperative relationship rather than a one-time event.

In talks with King Salman, President Xi stressed, "China regards Saudi Arabia as an important power in a multipolar world and places great importance on developing a comprehensive strategic partnership with Saudi Arabia." King Salman responded, "Saudi Arabia values its relationship with China highly" and pledged to "advance the comprehensive strategic partnership and share a friendly relationship" with China.

The two countries also agreed to strengthen economic cooperation during the summit. The day before, delegations from both sides signed 34 investment agreements covering green hydrogen, solar power, information technology, cloud computing, transportation, and logistics. SPA reported that agreements worth 1,100 billion riyals (approximately 38.6 trillion won) would be signed between the two countries.

◆ Strengthening China-Saudi Economic and Security Ties... "End of Exclusive Relationship with the U.S."

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

International relations experts analyze that the elevation of China-Saudi relations symbolizes a fundamental shift in the global geopolitical landscape beyond mere discord between the Biden administration and the Saudi royal family. The largest customer of Middle Eastern oil has shifted from the U.S. to China, and the U.S. has become a competitor in the Middle Eastern oil market as the world's largest oil producer, breaking the cooperative relationship.

Aaron David Miller, senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, told CNN, "President Xi's visit to Saudi Arabia signifies the end of the decades-long 'exclusive relationship' between Saudi Arabia and the U.S." He pointed out, "For decades, the U.S. and Saudi Arabia maintained their relationship because the U.S. needed Saudi oil, and Saudi Arabia needed U.S. security guarantees, but the environment has changed drastically."

In fact, since the 2010s, Saudi Arabia's main export destination has shifted to China. Last year, the U.S. imported only about 500,000 barrels of Saudi oil per day, while China imported 1.76 million barrels. In the 1990s, the U.S. was the largest Middle Eastern oil customer, importing 2 million barrels daily, but now it meets over 90% of its oil consumption with domestic and Canadian shale oil, achieving self-sufficiency.

The deepening economic ties between China and Saudi Arabia are expanding into the military sector as well. According to The New York Times (NYT), China has been supporting Saudi Arabia's uranium mining and refining facility construction since 2020 and is reportedly promoting the sale and technology transfer of ballistic missiles.

◆ U.S. ‘Relationship Reset’ Controversy Expands... "No Actual Alliance"

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

The U.S. government has officially shown no special reaction to the elevation of China-Saudi relations. However, it has expressed displeasure by stating it will review its relationships with Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern countries.

John Kirby, White House National Security Council (NSC) Coordinator for Strategic Communications, said during a regular online briefing on the 7th (local time) regarding President Xi's visit to Saudi Arabia, "It is not surprising that President Xi is going to the Middle East," and added, "Saudi Arabia has been one of our strategic partners for about 80 years, and this partnership will continue." He further warned, "We will not force countries to choose between the U.S. and China," and noted, "President Biden has ordered a review of the U.S.-Saudi relationship to ensure it aligns well with U.S. national security interests."

In the U.S. political sphere, controversy over resetting relations with Saudi Arabia and Middle Eastern oil-producing countries continues after Saudi Arabia proceeded with a daily 2 million barrel oil production cut in October despite U.S. government requests. The U.S. Congress has even considered retaliatory measures such as a one-year suspension of arms exports to Saudi Arabia.

Some argue that the relationship between the two countries was never an alliance but merely a transactional relationship based on strategic circumstances. The Washington Post (WP) reported, "Although it is commonly believed that the U.S. and Saudi Arabia have maintained an alliance for 77 years, the two countries have never signed or considered any treaty related to an alliance since establishing diplomatic relations in 1945," adding, "The U.S. and Saudi Arabia do not have a special relationship; their ties have been maintained solely out of mutual necessity."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.