Saudi Arabia is thinking about China’s nuclear facility proposal

The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday that Saudi Arabia is exploring a Chinese proposal to build it a nuclear power station, a decision that may thwart US plans in the kingdom.

According to the newspaper, which cited Saudi sources acquainted with the situation, China National Nuclear Corp, a state-owned business also known as CNNC, has submitted a bid to construct a nuclear power station in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province, close to the border with Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

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Requests for comments regarding the report were not met with any response from the foreign ministries of China or Saudi Arabia.

As part of a potential normalization agreement with Israel, Saudi Arabia has already asked the US for assistance in developing a civilian nuclear program on its territory.

US officials have previously stated that they would only share nuclear power technology if the pact forbade the reprocessing of plutonium produced in reactors or the enrichment of uranium, both of which are ways to create nuclear weapons.

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The WSJ reported that the Saudi officials claimed that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was ready to proceed with the Chinese enterprise quickly if talks with the US broke down.

The publication cited China’s foreign ministry as saying that China would continue to work with Saudi Arabia on civil nuclear energy while complying by international non-proliferation regulations.

Over the past year, Saudi Arabia and China have forged tighter ties. China helped restore ties between Saudi Arabia and its longtime adversary in the region, Iran, in March.