In a significant move to bolster bilateral ties, senior Chinese military officials met with Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud on Monday in Beijing. Zhang Youxia, vice chairman of China’s Central Military Commission, and Defense Minister Dong Jun held separate meetings with Prince Khalid to discuss deepening strategic mutual trust and enhancing military cooperation between the two nations.
Zhang hailed the ongoing development of China-Saudi relations, emphasizing that the strategic mutual trust between the Chinese and Saudi militaries continues to deepen. “Our practical cooperation in fields including military exchanges, personnel training, and joint exercises has yielded fruitful results,” Zhang noted. He expressed China’s openness to further cooperation with the Saudi military, anticipating that friendly and mutually beneficial initiatives will continue to flourish.
Prince Khalid affirmed Saudi Arabia’s commitment to strengthening ties with China. “We are ready to work with China to enhance practical cooperation between our militaries in various fields,” he stated, highlighting the importance of collaboration in maintaining regional stability and promoting common interests.
During his meeting with Prince Khalid, Defense Minister Dong Jun reiterated China’s steadfast support for Saudi Arabia on issues concerning each other’s core interests. “China stands firmly with Saudi Arabia, and we communicate and coordinate on international and regional affairs in a timely manner, effectively defending our common interests,” Dong said. He called for building a more pragmatic and sustained cooperation paradigm characterized by higher mutual trust, aiming to provide long-term, stable, and reliable strategic support for bilateral relations.
Prince Khalid echoed these sentiments, expressing willingness to strengthen strategic communication with China. “We aim to elevate military-to-military relations to a higher level,” he said, signaling a mutual interest in fostering stronger defense ties.
The meetings signify a continued effort by both China and Saudi Arabia to enhance their comprehensive strategic partnership, focusing on military collaboration as a key component of their bilateral relations. The discussions are expected to pave the way for increased cooperation and coordination on issues of mutual concern in the international arena.
Reference(s):
Chinese military officials meet Saudi defense minister in Beijing
cgtn.com
