RIYADH: Arab delegations started arriving in Riyadh on Thursday to participate in the Riyadh Arab-China Summit for Cooperation and Development, Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and his delegation were among the first to arrive. They were welcomed at King Khalid International Airport by Prince Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Abdulaziz, Deputy Governor of Riyadh; Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary General of the Arab League, and other senior officials. Kuwait’s Crown Prince Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah also touched down in Riyadh to participate in the Arab and Gulf-Chinese summits to be held during his visit.  ممثل سمو أمير البلاد الشيخ نواف الأحمد الجابر الصباح سمو ولي العهد يتوجه إلى السعودية لترؤس وفد دولة الكويت في القمم (الخليجية) و(الخليجية–الصينية) و(العربية-الصينية) https://t.co/eyf1np1al6 #كونا #الكويت pic.twitter.com/VWiKHwnCoE — كـــــــــــونا KUNA (@kuna_ar) December 8, 2022 Meanwhile, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman welcomed China’s President Xi Jinping at Al-Yamamah Palace in Riyadh, where an official ceremony was held. Xi arrived in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday as part of a three-day visit to the Kingdom. He was invited by King Salman to attend a Saudi-Chinese summit in the Kingdom, which will run until Dec. 9. سمو #ولي_العهد وفخامة رئيس جمهورية #الصين يعقدان لقاءً رحب سموه في بدايته بفخامته في المملكة، متمنياً له ومرافقيه طيب الإقامة، فيما عبر فخامته عن شكره وتقديره لما لقيه والوفد المرافق من كرم الضيافة وحسن الاستقبال. #الرئيس_الصيني_في_السعودية #واس pic.twitter.com/CsAfz8ROc1 — واس الأخبار الملكية (@spagov) December 8, 2022 He will also attend two more conferences, the Riyadh Gulf-China Summit for Cooperation and Development and the Riyadh Arab-China Summit for Cooperation and Development during his visit. Aboul Gheit said, in an SPA report, the Riyadh Arab-China Summit adds “momentum to the relations and reflects the political will of the Arab and Chinese sides, expressing hope for such summits to be held periodically to preserve momentum of these ties.” The establishment of the China–Arab States Cooperation Forum contributed to making a real breakthrough in the Arab-Chinese cooperation, where the two sides now have more than 20 cooperation mechanisms in various political, economic, cultural, media and development fields, he added. The secretary general noted that economic relations between the two sides were steadily increasing, adding that the volume of trade exchange between China and Arab countries has risen to about $330 billion in 2021 from about $36 billion at the time of the forum’s establishment. He also reviewed cooperation aspects between the Arab side and China during the COVID-19 pandemic and their efforts in facing this pandemic, saying: “All of us know that crises test the true friendship among peoples and countries.” “During the pandemic, I think China and the Arab states have succeeded, especially that we have witnessed a clear exchange of support between the two sides in confronting the COVID-19 pandemic.” – with SPA