MIDDLE EAST MONITOR - March 8, 2017
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi hopes to resolve differences with Saudi Arabia through talks, ahead of a visit by Saudi King Abdullah next week. Describing China as a friend to both Saudi Arabia and Iran, Wang said that his country welcomes Salman’s visit, which the foreign ministry confirmed would take place from 15-18March. China has traditionally played little role in Middle East conflicts or diplomacy, despite its reliance on the region for oil. But it has been trying to get more involved in efforts to end Syria’s six-year civil war, where Riyadh supports opposition groups battling President Bashar Al-Assad. Iran, on the other hand, backs Al-Assad’s attempts to remain in power.
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