Saudi crown prince in China on latest stop of Asian tour
Feb 21, 2019
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is in China on the latest stop of a sweep through Asia aiming to expand the kingdom's influence on the continent
BEIJING — Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman arrived in China on Thursday on the latest stop of a sweep through Asia that seeks to boost relations with the kingdom's neighbors amid frictions with the West.
Prince Mohammed's visit follows trips to India and Pakistan, which send millions of laborers to Saudi Arabia and are seeking closer economic ties.
He is to meet Chinese officials, including President and ruling Communist Party leader Xi Jinping, on Friday, highlighting Saudi Arabia's importance as one of China's top oil suppliers and a market for its exports, including military drones.
The visit underscores China's attempts to balance its relationships in the Middle East, a major component of its "Belt and Road" initiative to link its markets to those in Asia, Africa and Europe through rail and road networks and infrastructure such as power stations and factories.
Prince Mohammed's visit to Beijing follows one earlier this week by a high-powered delegation from Saudi Arabia's chief strategic rival, Iran.
At a meeting Wednesday, Xi told Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani that "China's resolve to develop a comprehensive strategic partnership with Iran will remain unchanged," regardless of the evolving international situation, according to China's official Xinhua News Agency.
China has also pursued robust ties with Israel.
The crown prince's trip comes five months after he came under intense pressure in the U.S. and elsewhere following the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul. Some reports allege Khashoggi was killed on orders of the royal family. In the U.S. Congress, criticism over the kingdom's handling of the war in Yemen has also been building for months.
China is facing growing international criticism over its treatment of its Muslim minority groups as part of a wide-ranging crackdown on religion and minority languages.
Thus far, Turkey has been the only majority Muslim country to criticize Beijing, with its Foreign Ministry this month calling treatment of minority Uighurs "a great cause of shame for humanity" and saying it is "no longer a secret" that China has arbitrarily detained more than a million Uighurs in "concentration camps."
Saudi Arabia's Al Saud royal family has long cast itself as the defender of Muslims across the world. Its king describes himself as the protector of Islam's two holiest mosques at Medina and Mecca. Observant Muslims pray five times a day in the direction of the cube-shaped Kaaba at the mosque at Mecca.
Saudi Arabia's silence on the Uighur issue is partly explained as a show of appreciation for China's non-interference policy in other states' domestic affairs, which contrasts with Western states' linkage of foreign and economic relations and human rights, said Jonathan Fulton, a political scientist at Abu Dhabi's Zayed University.
It also reflects China's success in framing its policies toward Muslim minorities as a struggle against political Islam, Fulton said.
"Many Arab countries are also concerned with Islamist political groups ... and see these as ideological threats to their governments," he said.
Commenting Wednesday on the crown prince's visit, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said recent years have "seen a positive momentum in our cooperation with fruitful outcomes in various areas such as infrastructure and space satellites."
"We hope that through this visit we will enhance our relations enhance mutual trust, deepen cooperation ... and inject momentum into our bilateral relations," Geng said.
Prince Mohammed is to visit South Korea after Beijing.
In New Delhi, he offered intelligence sharing and other cooperation with India in fighting extremism and terrorism, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi tackles rising tensions with Pakistan following a suicide bombing last week on Indian paramilitary soldiers in disputed Kashmir.
MORE NEWS
Asian Games 2026: Kumkum Mohod And Dhiraj Bommadevara Deliver Historic Recurve Archery Mixed Team Silver
India's impressive show in archery at Asiad continues with Kumkum Mohod and Dhiraj Bommadevara delivering yet another medal.
Asian Games 2026 Live Updates, Day 14: India Win Historic Recurve Archery Mixed Team Silver
Asian Games 2026, October 2 Live Updates: Follow all the latest updates from the 14th day of the event with Indian contingent in action across various sports.
Putin sees ‘very big potential’ in India ties, backs joint use of global trade corridors
Vladimir Putin highlighted significant potential for economic collaboration with India, particularly in transport and shipping corridors. He expressed readiness for joint maritime initiatives following successful pilot voyages with China and South Korea. Putin praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's efforts towards resolving the Ukraine conflict through dialogue and mutual understanding. Meanwhile, discussions about alternative trade routes to the Indian Ocean are gaining traction to mitigate regional transit risks.
Putin sees ‘very big potential’ in India ties, backs joint use of global trade corridors
Vladimir Putin highlighted significant potential for economic collaboration with India, particularly in transport and shipping corridors. He expressed readiness for joint maritime initiatives following successful pilot voyages with China and South Korea. Putin praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's efforts towards resolving the Ukraine conflict through dialogue and mutual understanding. Meanwhile, discussions about alternative trade routes to the Indian Ocean are gaining traction to mitigate regional transit risks.
Inside botched US executions: Methods, failures and scrutiny
The recent botched execution of a woman in Tennessee raises serious concerns about capital punishment methods. Many states in the US utilize lethal injection, but other methods like nitrogen inhalation and firing squads are also authorized. Some executions have been painfully prolonged or poorly executed, leading to public outcry. States often respond to issues by pausing or changing methods, yet transparency remains lacking.
New York governor appoints special prosecutor in Cornell fraternity rape case
New York Governor Kathy Hochul has appointed the state attorney general’s office to take over the investigation into allegations that a woman was gang raped at a Cornell University fraternity house in 2024. The move follows renewed scrutiny after a civil lawsuit, with Cornell also launching an independent review of how it handled the allegations.
Asian Games Medal Tally October 2: What is India’s rank? Full list of gold, silver & bronze medal winners
Asian Games 2026 Medal Tally: India climbed to seventh place in the Asian Games 2026 medal tally after winning its 11th gold medal on Friday. The Indian women’s recurve archery team made history by defeating South Korea in the final to secure a maiden gold in the event. India’s tally now stands at 67 medals, including 11 gold, 23 silver and 33 bronze.
Inside Tennessee’s first female execution in 200 years, and how it went wrong
A Tennessee execution failed after Christa Pike remained alive despite receiving two doses of pentobarbital, breathing and making sounds for more than an hour before being taken to hospital in critical condition. The botched execution prompted Governor Bill Lee to order a review and postpone another execution scheduled for later this year.
Trump and Vance hit the campaign trail in deep-red areas where GOP candidates seek a boost
Donald Trump and JD Vance are ramping up campaigning in Republican-leaning states ahead of the November 3 midterms, as GOP leaders try to boost turnout and enthusiasm amid concerns over the economy, affordability and the Iran war. Trump has promised a near-daily campaign sprint, while Republicans are also targeting races in Texas, Florida, Oklahoma and other states that have become more competitive.
India growth may slow to 5.5-6% in H2FY27 as capex moderates: Report
India's economic growth is projected to slow to 5.5-6% in the second half of 2026-27. This slowdown follows a robust growth of 7-7.5% in the first half of the financial year. Combined capital expenditure growth is expected to moderate significantly from 13.2% to around 4% in the latter months. Additionally, the central government's capital expenditure growth will weaken due to a declining fiscal position.
'Broken, corrupt system is eating up lives': CJP to begin 'Jail Bharo Aandolan' from Mumbai today
Cockroach Janta Party plans to initiate a nationwide protest starting in Mumbai demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The movement aims to highlight the perceived undermining of the electoral process and the right to vote. Party spokespersons emphasize the necessity of ensuring a level playing field for the youth of India. They anticipate a peaceful protest while expecting full cooperation from the Mumbai Police.