Saudi Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdul-Aziz met Ismail Amat, vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, China's top legislature, on Tuesday. Both sides spoke highly of bilateral relations.

 

Sultan bin Abdul-Aziz, who is also Saudi Arabia's deputy prime minister and minister of defense and aviation, told Ismail Amat that the relations between Saudi Arabia and China have developed rapidly since the two countries established diplomatic ties, especially over the past five years.

 

He said Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdul-Aziz's recent visit to China had met the planned goals. The important visit will further boost bilateral cooperation.

 

Ismail Amat said China and Saudi Arabia have expanded their cooperation in all fields in recent years, and Saudi Arabia has become China's biggest energy supplier and largest trading partner in the region of West Asia and North Africa.

 

He added that King Abdullah's successful visit to China has deepened mutual understanding and trust and become a new milestone for the comprehensive development of Sino-Saudi relations.

 

The Chinese side would like to further strengthen pragmatic cooperation with Saudi Arabia and push forward the Sino-Saudi strategic friendly cooperative relations, Ismail Amat said.

 

On the same day, Ismail Amat also met Salih bin Abdullah bin Hameed, chairman of the Saudi Consultative Council.

 

Ismail Amat and the delegation of Chinese lawmakers arrived in the Red Sea city of Jeddah, in the west of Saudi Arabia, on Saturday for a working visit at the invitation of the Saudi Consultative Council.

 

(Xinhua News Agency January 25, 2006)