Jordan's King Abdullah Seeks Deeper Economic Ties with Chinese Executives in Shanghai

Jordan's King Abdullah met leading Chinese business executives in Shanghai, according to the royal palace, marking the second day of a trip to China focused on economic co-operation amid the Iran war.

During the meetings, King Abdullah expressed Jordan's commitment to deepening relations with China and expanding economic and investment partnerships, the palace stated without providing further details. The king is also scheduled to meet China's President Xi Jinping later during his visit.

As part of his itinerary, the king toured the headquarters of robotics manufacturer AgiBot in Shanghai, receiving briefings on industrial, transport, and security products. He emphasized the importance of AgiBot co-operating with Jordanian universities on the development of robotic applications and the exchange of expertise. This marks King Abdullah's first trip to China since 2015.

Jordan, functioning as a close US ally, and various Gulf states have faced targeting by Iranian attacks amid the regional war that started in February. Notably, China has not publicly condemned these attacks by Iran or its proxies. While China accounts for one fifth of Jordan's imports—the largest share from any single nation—the costs for these goods have surged sharply due to heightened risks and shipping disruptions between East Asia and the Middle East.

In a Monday interview with the official Chinese news agency Xinhua, King Abdullah noted that the economic fallout of the Iran war serves as a reminder of global interconnectedness, calling for regions to collaborate in building better resilience against disruptions.

Jordan's economy, stagnant since the 2008 global financial crisis, has absorbed an additional blow from the ongoing war. With a large portion of the kingdom's 10 million population being of Palestinian origin, the king highlighted that Jordan is seeking to co-ordinate with China as a key global player, leveraging its international influence to pursue the two-state solution to the Palestinian problem.