Chinese President Hu Jintao's tour to Saudi Arabia highlights

bilateral and regional cooperation

By YAN WEI

Chinese President Hu Jintao visited Saudi Arabia on February 10-12 before heading to Africa, a trip that helped cement China's bonds with the Middle Eastern country and beyond.

WELL DONE: Chinese President Hu Jintao talks to a Saudi Arabian worker at the Chinese-built Riyadh Cement Company on February 11 (RAO AIMIN)

In a meeting with Saudi Arabian King Abdullah bin Abdul-Aziz in Riyadh, the two heads of state vowed to deepen their strategic friendly ties, work together to cope with the global financial crisis and strengthen coordination in international and regional affairs.

Hu told King Abdullah that China values the important role Saudi Arabia has played in safeguarding regional peace and stability and ensuring international energy security, according to a news release from China's Foreign Ministry.

The two countries' bilateral ties have enjoyed all-round and rapid development since they established diplomatic relations in 1990. Saudi Arabia has been China's largest trading partner in West Asia for several years, with two-way trade reaching $41.8 billion in 2008.

Saudi Arabia is China's biggest energy supplier. It exported more than 36 million tons of oil to China last year.

Strengthened cooperation between China and Saudi Arabia is of great significance in the face of the global financial crisis, Hu said. The two countries should collaborate more closely on trade and investment and jointly guard against and respond to financial risks, he added.

Hu and King Abdullah agreed to communicate with each other on reforming the world financial system, and particularly on the London summit of the Group of 20 major economies to be held in April.

Hu also put forward a number of suggestions on advancing the two countries' cooperation, including establishing a high-level consultation mechanism, increasing two-way investment, carrying out more exchanges in the fields of education, sports and tourism, and expanding people-to-people linkages.