Saudi FM Visits Beijing as US-Led Hormuz Talks Exclude Riyadh

Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan held a two-day official visit to Beijing, meeting Chinese FM Wang Yi and Vice President Han Zheng, as Phase 2 US-brokered Strait of Hormuz technical talks proceeded in Doha without a Saudi seat at the table. Wang Yi urged maintaining momentum in US-Iran negotiations, calling the ceasefire 'fragile' but stressing 'dialogue is better than confrontation.' Discussions covered Vision 2030-Belt and Road alignment, the $107.5B Saudi-China trade relationship, and freedom of navigation in Hormuz.