King Salman's visit to several Asian countries revolves around the strong partnerships between the Kingdom and these countries, based on multiple and diverse interests. This is the right time to further deepen these relations and mould them to come in line with the transformation sought by Saudi Arabia, by broadening the scope of cooperation with these countries at the political, economic and even security levels. At the outset of the royal Asian tour, King Salman visited Muslim countries such as Malaysia and Indonesia. The two countries are influential globally and at the Islamic level. They are both members of the G20. In fact, Malaysia is one of the "Asian tigers" with an enviable economic growth, thereby setting an example for other nations to follow. Saudi-Malaysian cooperation spans across several economic fields, and includes a number of bilateral agreements, counting the recent Saudi Aramco-Petronas pact. Saudi Arabia can benefit from Malaysia's ability to attract foreign companies and take advantage of its applied knowhow and educational expertise. I hope that Saudi graduates studying in Malaysian universities work with companies in that country for some time, and return after acquiring the necessary practical skills, rather than only theoretical knowledge. We could benefit from the transfer of technology. During this royal tour, the Kingdom also signed a number of agreements with Indonesia, a country with the largest Muslim population. Indonesia showed great enthusiasm for the King's visit, reflecting the respect accorded by Indonesians to Saudi Arabia, Saudi Arabian people and rulers. Investment in tourism in a country like Indonesia is of utmost importance, as this will help Jakarta become more stable and economically prosperous. Indonesia will become a strong supporter of the Muslim nation and of the Saudi-led counterterrorism coalition of 41 countries. Indonesia and Malaysia are partners in the fight against terrorism which has severely harmed Muslim countries. The fight against terror requires constant cooperation, coordination, exchange of intelligence and development and empowerment of religious institutions to play a strong role. Moreover, we must be cautious of the Iranian interference in our countries as it is the origin of all evils, and is attempting to destroy all Arab countries. Iranian leaders openly brag about occupying four Arab capital cities. The efforts exerted by Saudi Arabia are the opposite to Iran's destructive schemes. Saudi Arabia seeks to stop the destruction caused by Iran as its designs are clearly to infiltrate Arab societies, inflaming sectarian conflicts. Iranian stooges in Arab countries are brainwashed into being militias and fight against their own countries, and even attempting to invade other countries. Riyadh's plan, on the other hand, is simply to unify Muslims and further enhance people-ruler cohesion in Arab countries. This will ensure that they remain unharmed and do not fall victims to terrorists and Iranian machinations. The royal visits to China and Japan are underpinned by their global economic standings. China is the second largest economy in the world, while Japan is the third. The Saudi National Transformation Program 2020 and the Saudi Vision for 2030 make it realistic to deepen relations with these economic giants. Benefiting from their expertise, collaborating with them, and accessing their technological resources are key factors for further strengthening relations. The road is then paved to translate these economic partnerships into future political positions. China is an international superpower in the making. It has been intelligent enough to keep away from armed international conflicts. It has invested its resources and potentials in the economic field and in building a huge military capability. China, of course, is more interested in Saudi oil, to drive its remarkable economic growth. It is the strength of its economy that will make Beijing a close political partner as well. And China is expected to use its political weight in favor of regional causes. China is an established arms manufacturer and, in this regard, Saudi Arabia already has cooperative relations with Beijing. China will not flounder in providing Riyadh with its needs. As China is the country of more than a billion people, it is also a country with a billion cooperation opportunities. As regards Japan, it is the country of technology, renewable energy, inventions, innovations, trains, and complicated telecommunications and transportation networks. It has an exceptional education system. In fact its universities are the strong force behind its incredible advancement. By taking advantage of partnerships with Japanese companies and universities, we will be well positioned to diversify our income sources in line with the Saudi Vision 2030. Japan is in a position of strength where advanced countries are queuing up, even before developing nations, to benefit from its massive resources and expertise.
