Xi: China views Saudi Arabia as an important BRI partner

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Chinese President Xi Jinping said China highly values the comprehensive strategic partnership with Saudi Arabia, and views the latter as a significant partner in the pursuit of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

He made the remarks during a phone call with Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud on Wednesday.

During the conversation over the phone, the Chinese president spoke highly of the visit by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud in February, saying it injected new impetus into the exchange between the two countries on all fronts.

Xi said China is willing to reinforce the strategic alignment between the BRI and the Saudi Vision 2030 - a plan to reduce Saudi Arabia's dependence on oil and diversify its economy.

A Saudi applicant talks to the Chinese interview at a job fair in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Sept. 6, 2018. /Xinhua Photo

He stressed on pragmatic cooperation, particularly in the energy sector, between the two.

President Xi also expressed China's support for Saudi Arabia assuming the rotating G20 presidency in 2020, adding that China is willing to coordinate and cooperate with Saudi Arabia to contribute more to multilateralism, an open world economy and the improved world economic governance.

For his part, Salman echoed Xi's proposal to deepen the Saudi-Sino comprehensive strategic partnership. He said the Saudi side is ready to keep close contact with China on different levels, accelerate cooperation in various fields, better serve the two countries as well as their people, and promote collaboration between East and West Asia.

The Saudi king also pledged that Saudi Arabia will continue to work on the friendly cooperative ties between China and the Arabic nations and the Islamic world.