Chinese President Xi Jinping left Riyadh on Saturday after an official visit that aimed to forge closer ties with Saudi Arabia and Arab states.
Mr Xi was seen off at King Khalid International Airport by Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz, Governor of Riyadh, and Prince Faisal bin Farhan, the kingdom’s Minister of Foreign Affairs.
The Chinese president arrived in the kingdom on Wednesday and was given a lavish welcome that was broadcast on Saudi television, with his plane receiving an escort from four Royal Saudi Air Force jets, before being accompanied by six aerobatic jets that created green smoke trails.
After signing a number of agreements with Saudi Arabia on the first two days of his visit, Mr Xi attended GCC-China and Arab-China summits in Riyadh on Friday.
The GCC states and China agreed on a four-year joint plan of action to enhance their strategic partnership, according to a statement released on Friday.
The participants agreed to strengthen co-operation on economic recovery after the Covid-19 pandemic and "ensure flexibility on supply chains, food security and green energy", as well in the space and health sectors.
Mr Xi announced the setting up of China-GCC investment council.
The summits also expressed support for the one-China policy.
“Sino-Gulf relations are based on mutual trust,” Mr Xi noted.
“We must strengthen co-operation and trust, support multi-polarity, and not interfere in others' affairs. Our relations reflect support for multi-polarity and joint co-operation.”
Participants also called for Iran's "full co-operation" with the UN nuclear watchdog "to ensure the peaceful nature of the Iranian nuclear programme".
At the Arab-China summit, the participants agreed to co-operate in eight broad sectors, including energy, security, healthcare, technology and humanitarian assistance.
China's Foreign Ministry said the gathering was the “largest and highest-level diplomatic event between China and the Arab world since the founding of the People’s Republic of China”.
Mr Xi's visit to Saudi Arabia was only his third overseas trip since the outbreak of Covid-19 in late 2019.
The pandemic has heavily affected China's international trade due to strict entry requirements.
On Thursday, Mr Xi and Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman signed agreements on “harmonising” the kingdom's Vision 2030 plan and China's Belt and Road Initiative.
The agreements covered judicial assistance, direct investments, education and hydrogen energy, Saudi state media reported.
The kingdom signed a memorandum with China's Huawei Technologies on cloud computing and building high-tech complexes in Saudi cities. Huawei has participated in building 5G networks in most Gulf states.
China is the largest trading partner for Arab states, with trade surging from $239.8 billion in 2020 to $330.3 billion in 2021. Their trade this year is estimated to be $319.3 billion, according to figures from the China-Arab States Co-operation Forum, Chinese National Bureau of Statistics, the Chinese General Administration of Customs and China's Ministry of Commerce.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
THE CLOWN OF GAZA
Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah
Starring: Alaa Meqdad
Rating: 4/5
In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
- Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000
- Energy engineer: Dh25,000 to Dh30,000
- Production engineer: Dh30,000 to Dh40,000
- Data-driven supply chain management professional: Dh30,000 to Dh50,000
- HR leader: Dh40,000 to Dh60,000
- Engineering leader: Dh30,000 to Dh55,000
- Project manager: Dh55,000 to Dh65,000
- Senior reservoir engineer: Dh40,000 to Dh55,000
- Senior drilling engineer: Dh38,000 to Dh46,000
- Senior process engineer: Dh28,000 to Dh38,000
- Senior maintenance engineer: Dh22,000 to Dh34,000
- Field engineer: Dh6,500 to Dh7,500
- Field supervisor: Dh9,000 to Dh12,000
- Field operator: Dh5,000 to Dh7,000
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Disability on screen
Empire — neuromuscular disease myasthenia gravis; bipolar disorder; post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Rosewood and Transparent — heart issues
24: Legacy — PTSD;
Superstore and NCIS: New Orleans — wheelchair-bound
Taken and This Is Us — cancer
Trial & Error — cognitive disorder prosopagnosia (facial blindness and dyslexia)
Grey’s Anatomy — prosthetic leg
Scorpion — obsessive compulsive disorder and anxiety
Switched at Birth — deafness
One Mississippi, Wentworth and Transparent — double mastectomy
Dragons — double amputee
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Company%20profile%20
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Napoleon
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Various Artists
Habibi Funk: An Eclectic Selection Of Music From The Arab World (Habibi Funk)
MATCH INFO
AC Milan v Inter, Sunday, 6pm (UAE), match live on BeIN Sports
RESULT
Al Hilal 4 Persepolis 0
Khribin (31', 54', 89'), Al Shahrani 40'
Red card: Otayf (Al Hilal, 49')
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Transmission: seven-speed auto
Power: 420 bhp
Torque: 624Nm
Price: from Dh293,200
On sale: now
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Miguel Cotto world titles:
WBO Light Welterweight champion - 2004-06
WBA Welterweight champion – 2006-08
WBO Welterweight champion – Feb 2009-Nov 2009
WBA Light Middleweight champion – 2010-12
WBC Middleweight champion – 2014-15
WBO Light Middleweight champion – Aug 2017-Dec 2017
Heavily-sugared soft drinks slip through the tax net
Some popular drinks with high levels of sugar and caffeine have slipped through the fizz drink tax loophole, as they are not carbonated or classed as an energy drink.
Arizona Iced Tea with lemon is one of those beverages, with one 240 millilitre serving offering up 23 grams of sugar - about six teaspoons.
A 680ml can of Arizona Iced Tea costs just Dh6.
Most sports drinks sold in supermarkets were found to contain, on average, five teaspoons of sugar in a 500ml bottle.
