Jordan's King Abdullah II Seeks Economic Ties in China Amid Regional War Fallout

Jordan's King Abdullah II is scheduled to make an official visit to China on Monday, marking his first trip to the country since 2015, as the ongoing Iran war severely impacts the kingdom's economy.

According to a statement released by the Royal Palace on Saturday, King Abdullah will meet with China's President Xi Jinping alongside "representatives of leading Chinese companies to discuss opportunities for expanding economic co-operation." The monarch will travel with an "economic ministerial delegation," and the nations are expected to sign various co-operation agreements during the visit, although specific details have not yet been disclosed.

While Jordan maintains a status as a close ally of the US—relying heavily on Washington for financial aid and hosting several thousand American troops under a defence pact—China remains the kingdom's largest trade partner, accounting for one-fifth of its imports. However, rising risks and shipping disruptions between East Asia and the Middle East have caused import costs to surge.

The Jordanian economy, which has remained stagnant since the 2008 global financial crisis, has suffered further setbacks due to the regional conflict that began in February this year. Because of the presence of American troops, Jordan and neighboring Gulf states have faced multiple Iranian attacks. Despite these developments, China has refrained from condemning the strikes by Tehran or its proxies.

Previously, in December last year, King Abdullah met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Amman. During that visit, Mr Wang praised Jordan as a "stabilising force in the region" and noted that bilateral relations had maintained sound development. Although the kingdom faced dozens of Iranian attacks last month without recording deaths or serious injuries, an earlier strike in July resulted in the deaths of three American soldiers at an airbase in eastern Jordan.