Saudi Arabia’s cabinet approved on Wednesday a decision to join the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, as Riyadh builds a long-term partnership with China despite US security concerns.
\nSaudi Arabia has approved a memorandum granting the kingdom the status of a dialogue partner in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), the state news agency SPA said.
\nThe SCO is a political and security union of countries spanning much of Eurasia, including China, India and Russia.
\nFormed in 2001 by Russia, China and former Soviet states in Central Asia, the body has been expanded to include India and Pakistan, to play a bigger role as a counterweight to Western influence in the region.
\nIran also signed documents for full membership last year.
\nJoining the SCO was discussed during a visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping to Saudi Arabia last December, sources have told Reuters.
\nDialogue partner status will be a first step within the organisation before granting the kingdom full membership in the mid-term, they said.
\nThe decision followed an announcement by Saudi Aramco which raised its multi-billion dollar investment in China on Tuesday, by finalising a planned joint venture in northeast China and acquiring a stake in a privately controlled petrochemical group.
\nRiyadh’s growing ties with Beijing have raised security concerns in Washington, its traditional ally. Washington says Chinese attempts to exert influence around the world will not change US policy toward the Middle East.
\nSaudi Arabia and other Gulf states have voiced concern about what they see as a withdrawal from the region by the main security guarantor the United States, and have moved to diversify partners. Washington says it will stay an active partner in the region.
\nCountries belonging to the organisation plan to hold a joint “counter-terrorism exercise” in Russia’s Chelyabinsk region in August this year.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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