Chinese President Hu visits Saudi Arabia

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Source: CCTV.com | 02-11-2009 12:19

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Over in Riyadh, Chinese President Hu Jintao has met for talks with King Abdullah bin Abdul-Aziz. The leaders said they would further enhance the Sino-Saudi strategic friendship, deal with the global financial crisis in a concerted manner, and strengthen their exchanges in both regional and international affairs.

Chinese President Hu Jintao (L front) and Saudi Arabian  King Abdullah bin Abdul-Aziz (R front) review the honor  guard during a welcoming ceremony upon Hu's arrival at the  airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Feb. 10, 2009.  (Xinhua/Ju Peng)

The Chinese president arrived in the Saudi capital on Tuesday at the start of his "journey of friendship and cooperation" to Saudi Arabia and four African countries.

During the talks with the Saudi King shortly after his arrival, Hu Jintao said bilateral relations have advanced vigorously since the two heads of state visited each other's countries in 2006. And the relationship is now better than ever before. He said China attaches great importance to Saudi Arabia's role in maintaining regional peace and stability and guaranteeing international energy security. He stressed that closer Sino-Saudi cooperation is of greater importance in the face of grave challenges brought about by the international financial crisis.