RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has agreed to join the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) as a “dialogue partner”, state media reported on Wednesday, the latest indication of closer political ties with China.

The cabinet approved the decision at a meeting on Tuesday chaired by King Salman, the official Saudi Press Agency reported. The move would grant Riyadh “the status of a dialogue partner in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation”, it said.

Other countries with observer or dialogue partner status include Egypt, Iran and Qatar.

The SCO was established in 2001 as a political, economic and security organisation to rival Western institutions. Besides China, its members are Russia, Pakistan, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.

Riyadh’s move to partner with the bloc comes a day after Chinese president, in a phone call with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the Gulf nation’s de facto ruler, lauded what he called the easing of tensions in the Middle East. In his first comments on the matter to be made public since the Saudi-Iran deal was struck, the Chinese president said the dialogue promoted by China would “play a major role in strengthening regional unity and cooperation”.

Published in Dawn, March 30th, 2023