Why is the Saudi Crown Prince sought after in Europe? British media: China and Saudi Arabia are expected to leave the West behind globally | Mohammad bin Salman | Crown Prince
The Times website published an article on June 20th titled "China and Saudi Arabia are expected to leave the West behind" by Roger Boyce. The full text is excerpted as follows:
2030 will be a bountiful year for Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman. He is currently in Paris, lobbying hard to make Riyadh the host of the 2030 World Expo. The ultimate goal is to expand his Vision 2030 plan.
If you want to know why he is sought after in Europe, the answer is geopolitics. As is well known, Mohammad bin Salman not only wants Saudi Arabia to become the undisputed leader of the Arab world, but also to make it a part of the unsettling global power imbalance.
Riyadh and Tehran reached a reconciliation through China's mediation, which is considered a huge leap towards achieving peace in the Middle East.
The recent Arab China Business Conference held in Riyadh showcased the development trend of bilateral relations. Huawei, with its 5G expertise, will play an important role in the digital design of smart cities in Saudi Arabia. Chinese companies blacklisted by the United States also attended a meeting earlier this month, specializing in using artificial intelligence for facial recognition. The new terminal of Riyadh Airport not only has Arabic and English signs, but also Chinese signs.
This is not only about accelerating Saudi Arabia's modernization process, but also about adjusting relations at a time when the United States is increasingly declining. Saudi Arabia has become a "dialogue partner" of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization led by China; Mohammad bin Salman intends to join the so-called BRICS Club, which plans to use Chinese yuan instead of US dollars for settlement in oil sales to China. A Chinese expert told me that China and Saudi Arabia have the potential to rewrite the rules of the global energy market.
Mohammad bin Salman hopes that 2030 will be a successful year. His plan is not only to build a new city in the desert, but also to create a brand new space - the size of Belgium - to reshape Saudi Arabia into an ecotourism destination, technology center, and even a global leader in gaming and esports.
To make this statement credible, he needs a calm environment.
However, for Mohammad bin Salman, this brief calm in relations with Iran bought him time. By 2030, he will be in charge of a modern and proactive kingdom.
Mohammad bin Salman admires China. He respects China's determination to become the winner of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and leave the West far behind. War may not be on Mohammad bin Salman's recent agenda, as long as he maintains cooperation with China, he has the potential to become a global disruptor.