Robert Besser
15 Jan 2022, 13:57 GMT+10
BEIJING, China: This week, the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain are visiting China for meetings with officials.
China, the world's second largest economy, is a leading consumer of oil and source of foreign investments in the Middle East.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry said the visits were expected to "deepen relations between the two sides," but gave no details of their agendas.
Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Ahmed Nasser Al-Mohammed Al-Sabah, Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi, and Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Alzayani are scheduled to take part in meeting Chinese officials.
The meetings will also involve Gulf Cooperation Council Secretary General Nayef Falah Al-Hajraf, as well as Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, who will be in China at the end of the week, ministry spokesperson Saeed Khatibzadeh said in Tehran.
However, it is uncertain if Amirabdollahian will join the Arab ministers.
China and the U.S. are competing for influence in the Middle East, where Chinese companies have found markets for goods and services, ranging from building highways to selling military drones.
China's economy is heavily reliant on Middle Eastern oil and gas, and Beijing has maintained close ties with Iran, despite its nuclear ambitions and disputes with other Gulf nations.
At a daily briefing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said China and the Gulf nations have "provided each other with firm support on issues concerning their core interests, and have promoted practical cooperation in various fields with fruitful results.
Get a daily dose of Arab Herald news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Arab Herald.
More InformationKabul [Afghanistan], August 11 (ANI): Amid the growing outcry over the women's rights situation in Afghanistan, a top Taliban official ...
Koppal (Karnataka) [India], August 11 (ANI): Two people died and six others were injured after a clash broke out between ...
With a long list of crimes punishable by death, Iran put at least 314 prisoners to death last year, second ...
The EU member-state's parliament says the move is a response to Moscow's ?violence? in UkraineLatvia's parliament, the Saeima, designated Russia ...
International politics is largely about applying double standards, Josep Borrell acknowledgedThe EU's foreign-policy chief Josep Borrel has admitted that double ...
New York [US], August 11 (ANI): The Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Thursday said the Taliban have broken multiple pledges ...
Israel has launched an unprovoked war against the Palestinian resistance group Islamic Jihad. The Israeli army assassinated a high-ranking commander ...
ACCRA, 11th August, 2022 (WAM) -- Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, President of the Republic of Ghana, received Amer Al Alawi, ...
ABU DHABI, 11th August, 2022 (WAM) -- Dr. Matar Hamed Al Neyadi, UAE Ambassador to the State of Kuwait, met ...
ABU DHABI, 11th August, 2022 (WAM) -- A new generation of the Emirati passports will be issued from 1st of ...
New Delhi [India], August 11 (ANI): Star Indian batter Virat Kohli has started practicing for the upcoming Asia Cup 2022. ...
ATHENS - Greek authorities say a search and rescue operation is ongoing for a second day for dozens of migrants ...