Posted on 03/08/2017 5:22:10 AM PST by csvset
Saudi Arabia's King Salman Abdulaziz Al Saud began a month-long trip to Asia last week that has taken him to Malaysia and Indonesia, with stops in Japan, China and the Maldives to follow.
Coming after high-level visits between Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states and Chinese government officials, the King's trip is a further indication of the deepening of relations between Arab Gulf monarchies and East Asia. While trade is an important focus for the Saudi delegation, Asia's growing role in Gulf security is going to be a major feature of the trip.
The China-Saudi security relationship was emphasised during a visit to China by Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed Salman in August last year, when Chinese Defence Minister Chang Wanquan said: "China is willing to push military relations with Saudi Arabia to a new level."
This took shape two months later, with the 15-day joint military exercise in Chengdu, where Saudi Special Forces and their Chinese counterparts trained together in anti-terrorism drills, hostage situations, extreme weather and relationship building at the non-elite level.
Although this was the first time that Chinese forces cooperated in military exercises with an Arab state, Chinese military officials have been developing deeper relationships with GCC officers in recent years.
The Chinese navy has been using ports in Oman, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates for rest and replenishment stops for its ongoing Chinese Naval Escort Taskforce mission in the Gulf of Aden and along Africa's east coast. These stops provide opportunities for Chinese officers to call on their hosts, visit Gulf facilities and participate in cultural and sports exchanges. They also underscore that China views the Gulf as an operational zone of strategic importance.
As the world's largest importer of oil, China considers trade the cornerstone of its relations with the GCC,
(Excerpt) Read more at straitstimes.com ...
King Salman greeting the crowd during a visit to Jakarta's Istiqlal Mosque with Indonesian President Joko Widodo last Thursday. In his address to Indonesia's Parliament, the monarch called for a united fight against terrorism, with a security pact described as the centrepiece of the 10 agreements signed during his visit. PHOTO: EUROPEAN PRESSPHOTO AGENCY
Must be “All the camels you can do” month.
The answer is quite simple for a rational man
Europe is dying and Asia is ascending. The trade winds are blowing toward Asia
“As the world’s largest importer of oil, China considers trade the cornerstone of its relations with the GCC”
As trade goes, so goes the petrodollar.
We may be looking at the beginning of a new monetary regime. If that happens, all hell breaks loose.
King Salman is much more modern than the old rulers of SA. There will probably be some surprises in the future, some good and some bad, but he is different than the geriatric crowd which has held sway in the past.
Organ transplant?
Uh, doesn’t he spend almost all of his time in Asia? You’d think the Straits Times would know where Saudi Arabia is.
Sale of oil.
He needs more child sex slaves for his harem and trafficking, oil profits are down.
I hadn't heard much of Somalian pirates as of late. Are they still around?
Why? Because he can.
He’s tired of all the damn sand?
It has been said here on FR that the day the Petrodollar dies so dies our entire quality of life.
We will be thrust into utter poverty, because aside from our military presence across the globe, the one thing that props up our false and hollowed out economy is the Petrodollar.
They are buying nuclear weapons.
Saudi Arabia is buying a 99-year lease for the Faafu Atoll, in the Maldive Island chain. The sale involves the forced relocation of 4,000 islanders to an island where they can more easily hear the Friday prayers from Mecca (not kidding).
The Saudis say they want to develop tourism and maritime commerce. Them’s code words for a number of madrassa and Islamist training facilities and a naval base.
The Saudi’s are buying six French-built submarines and being trained by Malaysia. They are also buying over 60 new naval vessels currently on order, mostly shore patrol boats and frigates.
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