Leaders from Saudi Arabia and China said on Friday that the two nations will strengthen cooperation on energy after the Islamic kingdom’s falling out with the United States.
Saudi Arabian Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman and Chinese National Energy Administration Director Zhang Jianhua said during a teleconference that both countries are committed to stable long-term crude oil supplies, of which China is the world’s largest importer, according to a report from Reuters.
The news comes as relations between the United States and Saudi Arabia, long considered a key economic ally in the Middle East, are strained due to President Joe Biden calling the nation a “pariah” during the 2020 election cycle in response to the 2018 murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who had been critical of Saudi rulers. Democratic lawmakers have since questioned the wisdom of the United States’ continued alliance with the country.
Saudi Arabia recently moved to restrict global petroleum output alongside other OPEC members, leading to a worldwide surge in oil prices. The Saudi government later revealed in a statement that Biden had requested for the kingdom to delay the production cut until after the upcoming midterm elections.
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