Xi warns Gulf must not become 'wrestling ground' for major powers

Gulf must not become 'wrestling ground' for powers

Chinese President Xi Jinping received Oman's Sultan Haitham bin Tariq at Beijing's Great Hall of the People on Monday, calling for joint efforts to preserve regional peace and warning that the Middle East and Gulf "should not become a wrestling ground for major-country rivalry and geopolitical conflicts." Xi told the Omani leader that China was willing to strengthen coordination with Arab and Gulf Cooperation Council states to help restore peace and achieve lasting stability, according to Xinhua News.

In a joint statement issued following the talks, the two sides urged the United States and Iran to pursue a peaceful path, achieve a ceasefire and prevent a broader war, calling on both countries to return to the Islamabad memorandum of understanding and resume dialogue to reach a comprehensive agreement addressing Iran's nuclear program. They stressed the need to restore normal and safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and agreed to remain in contact over developments concerning the strategic waterway, according to the Omani Foreign Ministry.

Strategic partnership elevated

Xi called for strengthening the strategic partnership with Oman to a "higher level," noting that the two countries share longstanding friendship and increasingly strong political trust. The two sides agreed to deepen coordination between China's Belt and Road Initiative and Oman Vision 2040 while expanding cooperation in energy, investment, finance, artificial intelligence and other advanced technologies, including agreements covering satellite navigation, supply chains, green development and digital payments.

Haitham said China had become Oman's largest trading partner, with direct investments by Chinese companies exceeding 33 billion yuan ($4.6 billion) in recent years, and expressed Muscat's willingness to conclude a preferential bilateral trade and investment agreement with Beijing. Following the talks, the two leaders witnessed the signing of an agreement and 14 memorandums of understanding covering areas including local-currency exchange, digital currency and space cooperation. The visit marks the first by an Omani sultan to China since diplomatic relations were established 48 years ago, coming amid the ongoing US-Iran conflict that began in February following US-Israeli military strikes against Tehran.