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China and Saudi Arabia are strengthening their ties on several fronts, as China seeks to expand its involvement in the region and work closely with traditional U.S. partners and allies. Chinese Vice President Han Zheng met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh on Wednesday, as the two countries also concluded an extensive joint military exercise this week. Newsweek reached out to the Chinese and Saudi foreign ministries for comment. Why It Matters United States President Donald Trump has repeatedly praised close friendship ties with the Saudi leader and made the kingdom and Gulf countries his top destinations during his first overseas trip of his second term, even ahead of Washington's main partner, Israel. But although Riyadh signed a historic $142 billion arms deal with the U.S. during that visit in May, and has long prioritized U.S. partnership, it has been expanding economic and security partnerships beyond its traditional allies. Saudi Arabia also recently signed a major defense agreement with Pakistan, one of China’s closest partners. What To Know Senior Saudi officials attended the meeting with Han, representing key sectors including energy, security, foreign affairs, commerce, and investment, according to the Saudi Press Agency. China's vice president said his country is committed to deepening exchanges and expanding cooperation with Saudi Arabia, including on multilateral platforms such as the United Nations and G20, as well as playing a greater role in maintaining regional peace and stability, particularly on relations with Iran and the Israel-Hamas war, according to the state-run China News Service. China and Saudi Arabia concluded the “Blue Sword-2025” exercise, which lasted roughly two weeks in October, at the King Abdulaziz Naval Base in Jubail, according to both defense ministries. The joint naval warfare exercise featured counterterrorism, maritime rescue, anti-hijacking, and tactical shooting drills. Saudi Arabia's relations with China are relatively new compared to its historic ties with the U.S. But analysts warn that China's growing engagement in the Middle East and North Africa could challenge American leverage in the region, especially when driven by disagreements with the U.S., even as Beijing’s military and security footprint remains limited compared to Washington’s. One emerging area of interest is advanced weapons, particularly combat aircraft, where U.S. partners may be more encouraged to explore Chinese jets and their allies as Washington remains reluctant to approve certain high-end sales, such as the F-35s. What People Are Saying Zineb Riboua, research fellow with Hudson Institute’s Center for Peace and Security in the Middle East, wrote in a commentary published on Tuesday: "Chinese technologies could compromise Saudi Arabia’s information and communications infrastructure, potentially complicating American military basing and intelligence sharing agreements with Riyadh." John Calabrese, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute (MEI), wrote in a published analysis on October 8: "Riyadh’s growing wariness of US protection, combined with Beijing’s close ties to Pakistan, could create an opening for China to engage more proactively in Gulf security and nuclear matters. Such a scenario may incrementally expand Beijing’s influence and introduce a nascent China-US rivalry in Middle Eastern nuclear affairs, contingent on the scale and visibility of any cooperation." What Happens Next China may continue to expand its regional presence in defense, industrial technology, and nuclear cooperation, putting pressure on Washington to step up engagement and gain momentum.
