U.S. President Joe Biden is received by Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the Alsalam Royal Palace in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, July 15, 2022.
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US President Joe Biden’s administration on Friday dismissed claims that a forthcoming visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping to Saudi Arabia signals America’s waning influence in the Middle East, insisting the US is “going nowhere”.
Tim Lenderking, US special envoy to Yemen, said diplomatic visits from other world powers are expected, but said the US reaffirmed its commitment to the region following a visit by Biden in July.
“The most important message that the President has brought to the region is that the United States is not going anywhere,” Lenderking told CNBC’s Hadley Gamble.
Reports surfaced on Thursday that Xi will arrive in Saudi Arabia next week for a meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman – the Chinese premier’s first official overseas visit since 2020 – as Beijing and Riyadh seek to cement ties. China’s foreign ministry neither confirmed nor denied the reports on Thursday.
The foreign ministry of Saudi Arabia and the foreign ministry of China were not immediately available for comment when contacted by CNBC on Friday.
That Xi is to be received with all the pomp and fanfare afforded former US President Donald Trump during his 2017 visit does little to improve the optics of Biden’s visit, which critics say was a low-key affair that she has achieved little amid strained personal relations between the two leaders. However, Lenderking insisted the US would retain a “vital” presence.
“The United States is an important partner not only for Saudi Arabia but for all countries in the region,” he said.
“America can be counted on to remain in the neighborhood as a pillar of support for countries and their security. It’s an American priority,” he added.
conflict in Yemen
Yemen – which has been devastated by civil war since 2014 – is an important US focus, said Lenderking, whom Biden appointed the country’s special envoy last year.
Lenderking said that making progress on resolving the conflict was a major achievement for Biden during his visit last month. This included persuading Saudi Arabia to extend and strengthen a United Nations-brokered ceasefire and beginning talks to end the war.
The conflict is now halfway to a solution, Lenderking said.
Yemen has been in a civil war between the Yemeni government and the armed Houthi movement since 2014.
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“I think we’re better than 50%; I wouldn’t have said that six months ago,” he said. “We have a moment to change the course of the conflict. This is the time for it.”
He added that Yemen is a crisis where otherwise hostile ties may be overlooked, and hailed cooperation with China and Russia in this area.
China “wants to see progress in Yemen during its Security Council presidency,” he said, citing Beijing’s current role as chairman of the United Nations Security Council.
“I think this is an important element where we can find common ground between us – China, Russia, the United States – as we work together towards a political solution to the Yemen conflict,” he added.
Rising nuclear risks in the region
Lenderking also noted that Iran, with which the US shares a long history of broken ties, could play a constructive role in resolving the conflict in Yemen. However, he said that was not a requirement for a resolution.
This comes amid ongoing talks between the US and Iran to revive a 2015 nuclear deal.
When asked if he thought it was possible to see nuclear weapons in countries like Iran and possibly other countries in the region, Lenderking replied, “I think that would be unfortunate. I hope that’s not the case.”
Clarification: This article has been updated to reflect that Lenderking was asked if he believed it was possible to see nuclear weapons in countries like Iran.