Editor’s Note: 

At the invitation of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, President Xi Jinping will attend the first China-Arab States Summit and the China-GCC Summit in Riyadh and pay a state visit to Saudi Arabia from December 7 to 10. How to understand the significance of the two summits and Xi’s visit? What are the driving forces behind the continuously deepening China-Arab and China-GCC cooperation? Chinese ambassador to Saudi Arabia Chen Weiqing (Chen) shared his views with Global Times (GT) reporters Yu Jincui and Xing Xiaojing in Riyadh.  

GT: Regarding President Xi’s visit to Saudi Arabia and the holding of the China-Arab and China-GCC summits, what’re the considerations in terms of background and timing? 

Chen: The China-Arab States Summit, the China-GCC Summit and President Xi’s state visit to Saudi Arabia are a major move of the head-of-state diplomacy of China’s new journey for major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics, and a major pioneering undertaking in new China’s Middle East diplomacy.

After the successful conclusion of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), President Xi was invited to Bali, Indonesia to attend the 17th G20 Summit last month, and went to Bangkok, Thailand to attend the 29th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Meeting and paid a visit to Thailand. The international community generally believes that in facing intertwined changes in the international situation, China has been a resounding voice to promote global development and lead global governance, demonstrating China’s rational, confident and responsible role as a major country.