(PresidentialWire.com)- Saudi Arabia has invited Chinese President Xi Jinping to visit Riyadh, not long after the country’s leaders rejected a phone call from U.S. President Joe Biden.
According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, the Chinese president’s trip is due to take place after the Muslim holy month of Ramadan that starts in April – so, he should presumably arrive in the country some time in May.
Xi is expected to be given the same welcome that former U.S. President Donald Trump received when he visited the country back in 2017 – but no plans have been made for a similar welcome for U.S. President Joe Biden.
A statement from a Saudi official described the Crown Prince and President Xi as “friends” and said that they both understand the “huge potential for stronger ties.”
“It is not just ‘they buy oil from us, and we buy weapons from them,’” the statement continued.
Meanwhile, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson just wrapped up a trip in Riyadh, where he made progress in asking the Saudis to increase oil production in the wake of new sanctions against Russian oil and energy.
According to the Journal, the White House has been unsuccessful in organizing a phone call between President Biden and Saudi leaders. Biden has even struggled to speak with the leaders of the United Arab Emirates, despite British Prime Minister Johnson also successfully completing in-person discussion with UAE officials this month.
It sounds like Saudi and UAE leaders just don’t want to talk to Joe Biden…
And why would they, when they know he probably won’t be president in a couple more years?
