Chinese President Xi Jinping has arrived in Saudi Arabia for talks with leaders of Arab nations.

Xi arrived in Riyadh on Wednesday. He was greeted by Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and other officials. This is Xi's first visit to Saudi Arabia since 2016.

The Chinese government says that during his stay through Saturday, Xi will meet with King Salman bin Abdulaziz and attend summits with Arab states and the Gulf Cooperation Council.

Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning told reporters on Wednesday Beijing hopes the summits will provide an opportunity to strengthen cooperation, promote mutual development and send a strong message about China's determination to defend multilateralism.

Saudi Arabia and the United States have close ties in the fields of security and the economy. US President Joe Biden visited the country in July and met with King Salman.

Middle East oil producers are major suppliers for China. Observers say China apparently wants to deepen ties with them and counter the influence of the US.