Jordan's King Abdullah II to visit China as Iran war hits kingdom's economy

Jordan's King Abdullah II is scheduled to travel to China on Monday in light of the ongoing Iran conflict adversely affecting the kingdom's economy. This will be the monarch's maiden visit to China since 2015. During his stay, King Abdullah plans to engage with President Xi Jinping and top representatives from Chinese firms to explore avenues for enhancing economic collaboration, according to a statement released by the Royal Palace on Saturday.

Accompanying King Abdullah is an economic delegation comprising key ministers. Both nations are poised to ink cooperation pacts during the visit, though specific details have not been disclosed. Jordan, a staunch ally of the US and a key American base in the region, heavily relies on American aid. The kingdom hosts several thousand US troops under a defense agreement.

Iranian assaults have been targeting Jordan and other Gulf nations since the regional conflict escalated in February. This is primarily due to the presence of American forces on Jordanian soil. China has not voiced any condemnation of these attacks by Tehran or its affiliated entities. In December last year, King Abdullah convened with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Amman.

Following the meeting, Mr Wang remarked that Jordan plays a stabilizing role in the region and that bilateral relations have continued to grow robustly. China constitutes a fifth of Jordan's imports, the highest share from any nation. The costs of these imports have skyrocketed due to heightened risks and shipping disruptions between East Asia and the Middle East.

Jordan's economy has been stagnant since the 2008 global financial crisis and has suffered additional setbacks due to the present war. In the past month, the nation faced numerous Iranian attacks, though there are no reported fatalities or serious injuries. Notably, an Iranian assault in July claimed the lives of three American soldiers stationed at an airbase in eastern Jordan.