With energy security a pressing challenge for burgeoning countries such as China, many oil-rich Gulf states are attracting large-scale investment in return for the outflow of crude.

The Global Arab Network reports that China has been forging strong links with Saudi Arabia in recent months and investing in a range of developments along economic and political lines.

And as China looks to strengthen its internal oil and gas industry, Saudi Aramco has lent its expertise in accords covering technical cooperation and vocational training.

The company has also sent select trainees to universities in China to produce a cadre of bilingual workers that can help to nurture cooperation in the oil and gas industry.

According to a Xinhua report earlier this year, the heads of states of the two countries also vowed to jointly tackle the global financial crisis and strengthen ties covering international and regional affairs.

"China-Saudi Arabia ties have developed rapidly and reached an all-time high since the heads of states exchanged their visits in 2006," said Chinese premier Hu Jintao.

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