Chinese president arrives in Saudi Arabia

Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived here Tuesday on the first stop of a three-nation tour of the Middle East.

This is the first state visit by a Chinese head of state to Saudi Arabia in seven years. Xi will also travel to Egypt and Iran on his first overseas visit this year that lasts from January 19 to 23, Xinhua News Agency reported.

During his two-day stay in Riyadh, Xi is scheduled to hold summit talks with King Salman bin Abdulaziz al Saud to discuss lifting bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership.

He will also meet chiefs of the Gulf Cooperation Council and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.

Saudi Arabia is China's biggest global supplier of crude oil and its biggest trading partner in West Asia and Africa. In 2013, China became the biggest trading partner of Saudi Arabia for the first time.

Source: MENA