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CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN SECRET SECRET//NOFORN UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

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### Viewing cable 10RIYADH123, CHINESE FM YANG VISITS RIYADH

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Reference ID | Date | Classification | Origin
--- | --- | --- | ---
10RIYADH123 | 2010-01-27 12:12 | CONFIDENTIAL | Embassy Riyadh

`

    VZCZCXRO9296
    PP RUEHBC RUEHKUK RUEHROV RUEHTRO
    DE RUEHRH #0123/01 0271227
    ZNY CCCCC ZZH
    P 271227Z JAN 10
    FM AMEMBASSY RIYADH
    TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2389
    INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
    RUCNIRA/IRAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
    RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 0390
    RUEHGH/AMCONSUL SHANGHAI PRIORITY 0006

` `

    C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 RIYADH 000123

    SIPDIS

    E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/12/2015
    TAGS: PREL PGOV ECON ETRD CH KWBG IR SA
    SUBJECT: CHINESE FM YANG VISITS RIYADH

    REF: A. BEIJING 69
         ¶B. 09 RIYADH 895
         ¶C. RIYADH 118

    RIYADH 00000123  001.2 OF 003

    Classified By: Ambassador James B. Smith for
    reasons 1.4 (B) and (D)

     SUMMARY:
    ----------

    ¶1. (C) Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi met with King
    Abdullah and FM Prince Saud Al-Faisal on January 13, during
    the last stop of a five nation Africa and Middle East tour.
    During the visit, FM Yang discussed deepening Saudi-Chinese
    ties in a variety of fields, emphasizing trade, in
    particular, with his Saudi counterparts.  Responding to
    statements made by FM Saud, Yang also briefly discussed
    Chinese support for Iraq, concern about Iranian nuclear
    ambitions, and hopes for the Middle East Peace Process.  FM
    Yang's foray into regional political commentary appears to
    have been a result of FM Saud's prodding, both publicly and
    behind closed doors, and is a reflection of the developing
    Saudi-Chinese relationship.
    END SUMMARY.

    TRADE TAKES PRECEDENCE
    ----------------------

    ¶2. (U)  FM Yang arrived in Riyadh on January 13, the first
    high-level visit since Chinese President Hu Jintao's February
    2009 "Trip of Friendship and Cooperation."  FM Yang's visit
    coincided with the 20th anniversary of Saudi-Chinese
    diplomatic relations, and followed three days after Chinese
    Trade Minister Chen Deming co-chaired the 4th session of the
    Saudi-Chinese Joint Commission in Riyadh.

    ¶3. (U) The Chinese Foreign Minister has traditionally made
    his first overseas trip of the new year to Africa, visiting
    with African leaders and expressing Chinese goodwill and
    improvements in trade relations.  This year, FM Yang extended
    his visit to include not only major trading partners like
    Nigeria, Kenya and Morocco, but also Saudi Arabia.  In a
    January 13 statement to the press, FM Yang stressed the
    importance of strengthening cooperation in "energy,
    infrastructure, finance and science and
    technology."  He said that both sides should carry out
    cultural and education exchanges to deepen the bilateral
    relationship and pressed the need for closer relations
    between China and the GCC.

    ¶4. (U) These statements echoed similar announcements from
    Chinese Trade Minister Chen who, in a January 10 press
    conference, called for finalizing the Chinese-GCC free trade
    agreement and increasing bilateral trade by 50%, from a total
    annual value of $40 billion to $60 billion, over the next
    five years (ref A).  During the Joint Commission meeting,
    Saudi Minister of Finance Ibrahim Al-Assaf reportedly urged
    the Chinese to participate in more joint ventures, noting
    that while bilateral trade increased 25 times over the past
    ten years, the two countries only have 19 joint projects.
    Al-Assaf also welcomed China's 44 billion riyal ($11.7
    billion) worth of infrastructure projects in the Kingdom.

    DUMPING CAUSES A BUMP
    ---------------------

    ¶5. (C) This call to increase Sino-Saudi trade comes on the
    heels of a December 24 announcement that China would impose
    anti-dumping tariffs of up to 13.6 percent on Saudi and
    Taiwan-produced butanediol.  Beijing began a dumping probe on
    methanol and butanediol (BDO) from Saudi Arabia in July,
    which caused an unusually public trade spat between the two
    countries (ref B).  Methanol and butanediol make up 10 to 15
    percent of Saudi Arabia's $2 billion in annual non-oil
    exports to China.  A Ministry of Commerce and Industry
    official told Econoffs on January 13 that Saudi Arabia was
    able to convince the Chinese not to impose tariffs on
    methanol, but said the BDO case was still pending.  The
    Ministry recently appointed a new Deputy Minister for
    Technical Affairs, Dr. Hamad Al-Awfy, who will handle all
    anti-dumping issues, he said.  Al-Awfy previously complained
    to EconCouns that the SAG was increasingly frustrated by the
    growing number of Saudi companies complaining about Chinese
    dumping in Saudi Arabia.  Other senior SAG officials have
    caustically complained about the low quality of Chinese
    construction and the "short-term, extractive" approach of
    Chinese companies to investments in Saudi Arabia.

    RIYADH 00000123  002.2 OF 003

    A MATURING ECONOMIC RELATIONSHIP?
    ---------------------------------

    ¶6. (C) China recently surpassed the U.S. as the largest
    importer of Saudi oil.  Saudi Arabia's investments in China
    have increased significantly over the last few years,
    including a $3.5 billion refinery in Fujian and a $2.86
    billion joint-venture petrochemical complex in Tianjin.
    Additionaly, President Hu Jintao commemorated the opening of
    a cement plant when he visited Saudi Arabia in February 2009.
     Saudi Arabia,s more forward-leaning approach, including
    large-scale investments in China, indicates a maturing of the
    bilateral relations and assumes a more pro-active, rather
    than reactive, role towards economic engagement. (Note:
    China is now the SAG's number two trade partner after the
    U.S.  Saudi-Chinese bilateral trade was estimated at $40
    billion in 2008, while Saudi-U.S. trade was estimated at $67
    billion during the same time period.  End note.)

    FM SAUD PRODS, FM YANG RESPONDS
    -------------------------------

    ¶7. (U) While trade issues dominated FM Yang's agenda, both he
    and FM Prince Saud-Al Faisal commented on the regional
    political landscape in a press conference that followed their
    bilateral meeting.  FM Saud spoke out against Israeli
    defiance of UN Security Council resolutions and called on
    China, as a permanent member of the Security Council, to
    "deal with world disputes in accordance to international
    legitimacy...as stipulated in the Arab Peace Initiative."
    The meetings with FM Yang were "part of a framework of
    coordination and consultation," FM Saud continued, that
    included not only the Palestinian cause but also Iran's
    nuclear file, Iraq and Yemen.  In particular, he emphasized
    China's role as a member of the P5 plus 1 group and their
    responsibility "to solve the (Iranian nuclear) crisis through
    dialogue and peaceful means.  "Our two nations are keen that
    the Middle East and the Gulf should be free of all weapons of
    mass destruction, including nuclear weapons," he stressed.

    ¶8. (U) In response to FM Saud's comments, FM Yang said China
    called for serious negotiations between Israel and Palestine
    that would carry out the peace process and establish the
    State of Palestine.  "China is ready for cooperation with the
    world community to work for stability in the Middle East," he
    added.  In regard to Iraq, he said that China extended
    assistance by reducing Iraqi debt obligations to China and
    forging trade agreements between Iraqi and Chinese companies.
     With respect to Iran, FM Yang said the Iranian file should
    be solved through "political diplomatic channels which help
    stabilize the situation in the region."

    FM SAUD: CHINA NEEDS TO MORE ACTIVELY COUNTER
    IRANIAN NUKES
    ---------------------------------------------

    ¶9. (C) Deputy Foreign Minister Dr. Prince Torki told visiting
    NEA A/S Feltman on January 26 (ref C) that FM Saud had
    pressed the Chinese Foreign Minister hard on the need to be
    more active in working with the rest of the international
    community and the UN Security Council to counter the threat
    of Iran developing a nuclear weapon.  FM Saud told FM Yang
    that Saudi Arabia was convinced Iran intended to develop a
    nuclear weapon, despite its assurances, and that only
    concerted international action could stop that.   While no
    explicit bargain was discussed, Dep FM Torki explained that
    Saudi Arabia understood China was concerned about having
    access to energy supplies, which could be cut off by Iran,
    and wanted to attract more trade and investment.  Saudi
    Arabia was willing to provide assurances on those scores to
    China, but only in exchange for tangible  Chinese actions to
    restrain Iran,s drive for nuclear weapons.

    COMMENT:
    --------

    ¶9. (C) Since King Abdullah's historic visit to Beijing in
    January 2006, the Saudi-Chinese relationship has focused
    predominantly on energy and trade.  However, the relationship
    may be showing signs of political evolution.  While the
    Chinese would likely prefer to stay away from political
    controversy, their economic power and permanent seat on the
    UN Security Council has made it more and more difficult for
    them to avoid politics altogether.

    ¶10.  (C) COMMENT CONTINUED:  The incentives for the Saudis to

    RIYADH 00000123  003.2 OF 003

    try and leverage their economic relationship with China for
    political gain with respect to sensitive regional issues,
    such as Iran and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, are
    significant and growing.  After patiently focusing on
    building the economic relationsip since 2006, FM Saud,s
    public and private prodding of FM Yang indicates the Saudis
    are ready to try and cash in some political chips.  End
    comment.
    SMITH

`