Trump’s Saudi era quietly coming to an end? MBS woos Xi as China quietly replaces US in the gulf

China and Saudi Arabia are deepening cooperation across multiple sectors as Beijing moves to broaden its influence in the region and engage more closely with longtime U.S. allies. On Wednesday, Chinese Vice President Han Zheng met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh, following the completion of a large-scale joint military exercise between the two nations earlier in the week.