1. Political Relations

China and Saudi Arabia signed the Memorandum of Understanding on Mutual Establishment of Trade Representative Office on Nov. 11, 1988. The trade representatives of the two countries assumed their posts in 1989. On Jul. 21,1990, the two countries signed a Communiqué and announced the establishment of diplomatic relations. The Chinese Consulate-General in Jeddah opened on Apr. 25, 1993. In Apr. 1993 China agreed on the establishment of the Consulate-General in Hong Kong by Saudi Arabia.

Since the establishment of diplomatic relations, important exchanges of visit by the leaders of the two countries include:

Saudi Arabia: Foreign Minister Faisal (in the capacity of King Fahad's special envoy in Sep.1990), Undersecretary of Foreign Ministry Thonayan (in the capacity of King Fahad's special envoy in Dec.1990), Minister of Finance and National Economy Aba Al Khail (Nov.1992), Minister of Commerce Sulaiman Salaim (Mar.1994), Minister of Oil Hisham Nazer (May 1994), Chairman of Consultative Council Jubil (Oct.1995), Minister of Oil Naimi (Dec.1995 and Oct.1997), Minister of Finance and National Economy Assaf (Feb. 1996), Deputy Foreign Minister Mansori(Oct. 1996), Minister of Higher Education Anqari(Oct. 1997), Minister of Commerce Faqih (Jun.1998 and Sep.1999), Crown Prince and Deputy Prime Minister, Commander of the National Guards Abdullah (Oct. 1998), Emir of Riyadh District Salman (Apr. 1999), Minister of Information (Feb. 2000), Minister of Agriculture and Water Conservancy (April, 2000), Second Vice Prime Minister of National Defense, Aviation Sultan Bin Abdul-Aziz(Oct. 2000) and Vice Foreign Minister Madani (May 2001), Hamid, Chairman of the Consultative Conference of Saudi Arabia (April 2002).

China: State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qian Qichen (Jul.and Nov. 1990), Premier Li Peng (Jul. 1991), President of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries Han Xu (Nov. 1992), Vice Premier Li Lanqing (Jun. 1993), Vice Foreign Minister Tian Zengpei (Jun. 1994 and Jan. 1997), State Councilor and Secretary-General of the State Council Luo Gan (Aug. 1995), Vice-Chairman of The Central Military Commission, State Councilor and Defense Minister Chi Haotian (Jun. 1996), Vice Chairman of CPPCC Ye Xuanping (Nov. 1996), Vice Foreign Minister Ji Peiding (May 1999), and President Jiang Zemin (Oct. 1999), Vice Governor of Hebei Province Guo Shichang (Feb. 2001), Vice Minister of the General Administration of Sport Yu Zaiqing (Apr. 2001), President Wang Tao of the Sino-Saudi Friendship Association (Oct. 2001) Vice Governor of Hebei Province Guo Shichang (Feb. 2001), Vice Minister of the General Administration of Sport Yu Zaiqing (Apr. 2001), President Wang Tao of the Sino-Saudi Friendship Association (Oct. 2001), Chinese State Councilor Wu Yi visited Saudi Arabia (April 2002), In May 2002, the Cultural Delegation of the Chinese Government led by Vice Minister of Culture Zhou Heping visited Saudi Arabia, In May 2002, the Chinese Photo Exhibition was held at the King Fahhed Cultural Center of Saudi Arabia, In June 2002, the Chinese Information Delegation of the State Council led by Vice Minister Wang Guoqing of the State Council Information Office visited Saudi Arabia, etc.

The two countries founded Sino-Saudi Friendship Association and Saudi-Sino Friendship Association respectively in Oct.1997.

2. Economic and Trade Relations, and Economic and Technological Cooperation

The bilateral trade volume has grown fast since the establishment of diplomatic relations. Chinese Moslems who visited Saudi Arabia in 2001 numbered at 4,000 roughly.  The number for 2002 is more than 5,000. China mainly exports to Saudi Arabia textile, clothing, light industry products, food like grain and edible oil, etc. It imports from Saudi Arabia crude oil, chemical fertilizer, and petrol-chemical raw materials.

The China Council for the Promotion of International Trade has held six Chinese export commodities fairs in Saudi Arabia since 1989. In Feb.1996, the first meeting of the Sino-Saudi Joint Committee on Economic, Trade and Technologic Cooperation was held in Beijing. In November 1999, the second such meeting was held in Riad. The trade office in the Saudi Embassy in China was established in August 2001.

3. Exchanges in the Fields of Youth, Culture, and Information.

In Aug. 1990 and Apr. 1994, the Chinese Youth Delegation visited Saudi Arabia. In Jul. 1994, Saudi Arabian Youth Delegation visited China. In Jun. 1998, the Chinese Youth Delegation visited Saudi Arabia.

In Apr. 1994, the Chinese Government Cultural Delegation visited Saudi Arabia. In Mar. 1995, Saudi Arabian Government Culture Delegation visited China.

In Dec. 1992, the Chinese Journalists Delegation and the Broadcasting Reporters Group visited Saudi Arabia. In Jun. 1998, the China State Administration of Radio, Film and Television Delegation visited Saudi Arabia. In Jan. 1999, at the invitation of Saudi Arabian Government, the People's Daily Delegation, the deputy editor-in-chief of the Xinhua News Agency and experts, scholars attended the centenary ceremony of the founding of Saudi Arabia. On Feb.13 1999, Xinhua News Agency opened its Riyadh Branch.

In Jan. 1992,Vice Director of the Bureau of Religious Affairs under the State Council Yuan Yaobin led a delegation to Saudi Arabia. In Oct.1992, Vice Minister of China’s State Physical Culture and Sports Commission He Zhenliang visited Saudi Arabia. In Oct.1993, the Delegation of the Association for International Understanding of China visited Saudi Arabia. In April 2000, the Chinese Woman’s Delegation paid a visit to Saudi Arabia.

4.Chinese Muslims' pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia

From 1955 to 1964, China sent Muslims every year to Saudi Arabia for pilgrimage. The pilgrimage was suspended for a period of time. In 1979, China resumed the pilgrimage and every year since then several thousands of Muslims has visited to Saudi Arabia. The number of people going to Saudi Arabia for pilgrimage was about 3,000 in 2000. In 2001 the number increased to more than 4,000.

5. Communiqués and Important Bilateral Agreements Signed by the Two Countries

Jul. 21 1990 Communiqué on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations

Nov. 1992 Economic, Trade, Investment and Technological Cooperation Agreement

Dec. 1993 China and Saudi Arabia exchanged notes on Mutual Rendering of the Most Favored Nation Treatment

Feb. 1996 Agreement on Mutual Promotion and Protection of Investment

Oct. 1998 Memorandum of Economic and Trade Cooperation

Oct. 1999 Agreement on Educational Cooperation, Agreement on Radio and Television Cooperation between China's Radio and Television Bureau and Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Information, Agreement on Information Exchange and Cooperation between Xinhua News Agency and Saudi Arabia News Agency, and Memorandum of Understanding on Petroleum Cooperation.