Ambitious Saudi prince plays China card for global entree – By Ned Temko (CS Monitor) / Aug 24, 2023
It is a truly remarkable turnaround: A Mideast leader vilified just five years ago for the murder and dismemberment of a prominent democracy advocate is now being eagerly courted by Washington and its major Western allies.
And that’s not because Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has done anything to mend fences with his international critics since his security officers allegedly lured Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi to the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in 2018 and killed him.
Quite the opposite. Shrugging off human rights concerns, he has deployed his country’s vast oil riches in pursuit of his “Vision 2030,” with the aim of building a less oil-dependent economy; making Saudi Arabia a leading player in golf, soccer, and other world sports; and imposing the kingdom not just as a regional force but a major power on the world stage.
