Sultan of Oman arrives in Beijing on first-ever visit by an Omani head of state

Historic visit to Beijing

Sultan of Oman Haitham bin Tarik Al Said arrived in Beijing on Sunday for a two-day state visit. According to Anadolu, citing the state broadcaster CGTN, this is the first-ever visit by an Omani head of state to China. The visit took place at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping and is timed to the 48th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries in May 1978.

Program and context

According to Muscat Times, which the agency cites, Xi Jinping will hold an official welcome ceremony for the sultan at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Monday. The publication emphasizes that the visit reflects the historical ties and growing cooperation between the two countries in various fields. Anadolu also provides the economic context: Oman is the fifth-largest supplier of crude oil to China and the fourth-largest trading partner among Arab countries, while bilateral trade reached $36.73 billion in 2024. The agency notes that the trip is taking place against the backdrop of the ongoing conflict between the US and Iran, which began in February with the war that Washington and Israel launched against Tehran.