China and Oman Hail New Starting Point as Sultan Proposes Preferential Trade Deal

China and Oman hailed a new starting point in their relations on Monday, as Chinese President Xi Jinping met Oman’s Sultan Haitham bin Tariq al-Said in Beijing and the sultan proposed a preferential bilateral trade and investment agreement between the two countries.

The meeting at the Great Hall of the People came on the second day of the sultan’s two-day state visit to China, the first by an Omani head of state since the two countries established diplomatic ties in 1978, Reuters reported.

FAKTA

• Meeting: President Xi Jinping and Sultan Haitham bin Tariq al-Said met in Beijing on Monday, 2 November
• Visit: A two-day state visit, the first by an Omani head of state since ties began in 1978
• Proposal: A preferential bilateral trade and investment agreement, proposed by Sultan Haitham
• Cooperation areas: Renewable energy, artificial intelligence, digital technologies, space and defence
• Trade position: China is Oman’s largest trade partner, Reuters reported
• Links: Direct flights between Beijing and Muscat since November last year

China Oman strategic partnership at a new starting point

Xi told Sultan Haitham that China sees expanding and deepening ties with Oman as a “shared strategic choice” for both countries, and that their relations stand at a “new historical starting point”, according to a report from the media pool covering the meeting.

“I am ready to work with you to guide the China-Oman strategic partnership to an even higher level, better serve the peoples of our two countries, and contribute to peace, stability and prosperity in the region,” Xi said.

(File photo: the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, where the leaders met.)

Preferential trade and investment deal proposed

Sultan Haitham proposed the preferential bilateral trade and investment agreement at the start of the meeting, telling Xi: “We are confident that such an agreement would open new avenues for trade and investment, facilitate and enhance commercial and investment exchanges between our two nations.”

Oman hopes to increase the volume of trade with China and develop projects through joint investment funds across various fields, including renewable energy, artificial intelligence, digital technologies, space and defence, Haitham said, according to state-run Oman News Agency.

He also emphasised cooperation between investment and financial institutions, Reuters reported.

Trade ties already deep

China is Oman’s largest trade partner, with tourism and business links boosted by direct flights between Beijing and Muscat since November last year, Reuters reported.

According to Oman News Agency interviews published ahead of the visit, bilateral trade was put at 32.87 billion US dollars in 2025, and agreements and memorandums of understanding were expected to be signed during the visit, alongside talks on energy, industry, logistics, technology and health care.

The two countries have built on a strategic partnership established in 2018, Oman News Agency reported, with the state visit seen in Muscat as a milestone for investment and industrial cooperation.

For more coverage of the region, see Watan News’ Middle East coverage.