BEIJING: Chinese President Xi Jinping will visit Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Iran next week, Beijing’s foreign ministry said, as the world’s second-largest economy seeks greater diplomatic heft in a crucial and tense region.
President Xi would visit the three Middle Eastern countries over five days from Tuesday, according to his spokesman.
The trip, Xi’s first to the region as president, comes amid mounting tensions over the war in Syria and after protesters ransacked and burned the Saudi Embassy in Tehran over the execution of a prominent Shia cleric.
Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Army Chief General Raheel Sharif are also going to visit Saudi Arabia and Iran next week to defuse the tension between both countries arised in recent weeks.
PM Nawaz has been scheduled to meet King Salman and other high Saudi officials on Monday. Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif and Adviser to PM Sartaj Aziz will accompany him.
The Pakistani leadership will also meet Iran President Hassan Rouhani in Tehran on Tuesday after completing Saudi Arabia visit.
