The Energy Minister of Saudi Arabia, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, has stated that the country is seeking stronger cooperation with China on trade investments and energy flows rather than competing with the superpower. “We came to recognize the reality of today that China is taking, had taken a lead, will continue to take that lead. We don’t have to compete with China, we have to collaborate with China,” he said during the Arab-China Business Conference on Sunday, speaking with HaberTusba’s Dan Murphy.

Prince Abdulaziz believes that there is value in working with China because they have taken the lead in getting the “right manufacturers,” especially in the renewables space. “We will never go again to this zero-sum game,” he added.

When asked why Saudi Arabia is interested in China, Prince Abdulaziz said he believes that China’s oil demand is still growing, and it is a market that Saudi Arabia is keen on capturing. However, he also stated that this does not mean they will not collaborate with other countries, citing Europe, South Korea, Japan, the U.S., and Latin America as parties with whom they have trade relations.

The conference was held in Riyadh against the backdrop of China and Saudi Arabia’s growing economic and diplomatic ties, as both nations navigate increasingly strained relations with the West. When asked about skeptics being critical of the growing Saudi-China ties, Prince Abdulaziz responded: “I totally ignore it.”

Prince Abdulaziz likened business transactions to a pot that didn’t need to be divided among countries, saying Saudi Arabia “will go where opportunities come [its] way.” “There is nothing political about it. There is nothing strategical about it. We are Saudi Arabia, we don’t have to be engaged in what I call it a zero-sum game. We believe that there are so many global opportunities.”