Chinese President Xi To Visit Saudi Arabia

Xi Jinping was greeted at Riyadh's airport by Prince Mohammed bin Salman (January 19, 2016) 

Politico: Xi Jinping’s Saudi trip seeks to exploit Riyadh-Washington tensions  

Saudi’s Chinese flirtation reflects a leverage bid with Biden administration. 

Chinese President Xi Jinping will soon end more than two years of self-imposed in-person diplomatic isolation as he travels to Saudi Arabia to meet with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman — a month after President Joe Biden’s strained visit to Jeddah. 

The Xi trip has not been confirmed, but an unnamed Saudi source said it may occur as early as this week. 

Xi can expect a full helping of Saudi diplomatic pomp and ceremony in contrast to Biden’s low-profile visit, punctuated by an awkward fist bump with MBS, as the Crown Prince is known. Instead of pesky questions about Saudi Arabia’s human rights record, Xi will get a red-carpet welcome and likely respond with a full-throated affirmation of deepening Saudi-Chinese ties.  

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Update #1: Chinese president due in Saudi Arabia to tighten economic ties (Jerusalem Post)  

Update #2: U.S. is ‘not going anywhere,’ Middle East envoy says, as China’s Xi expected to visit Saudi Arabia (CNBC)  

WNU Editor: I expect two things from this visit. Both leaders will find common ground on a number of issues. And both countries are going to expand their economic ties .... China, Saudi Arabia Announce Massive Strategic Partnership Energy Agreement (Silk Road Briefing).