Saudi king to embark on 31-day Asian tour

Saudi monarch to visit five Far East countries before heading to Jordan

Saudi Arabia’s King Salman Bin Abdul Aziz will embark on February 26 on a 31-day Asian trip that will take him to six countries.

King Salman will first go to Malaysia where he will spend three days.

The two countries will sign several agreements and memoranda of understanding to strengthen ties and boost cooperation, Saudi daily Okaz reported yesterday.

“The upcoming official visit of King Salman to Malaysia will have a major impact and open various opportunities for Malaysians,” Abdul Rahman Dahlan, the Malaysian Minister of Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government said.

King Salman will then head to Indonesia, home to the world’s largest Muslim population, on a visit hailed by local officials as historic.

“This is a very historic visit for us,” Indonesian Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung said on Tuesday, while the Jakarta Post reported that “Indonesia is seeking closer ties with Saudi Arabia with plans for a special reception to welcome King Salman and his entourage in Jakarta.”

Indonesia expects the visit to bring $25 billion worth of investment from Saudi Arabia, the daily added

King Salman will be in Indonesia from March 1 to 9.

From Indonesia King Salman will head to China where he will spend four days.

In Japan, his next destination, the Saudi monarch will spend three days. He will be the first Saudi king to visit Japan since King Faisal Bin Abdul Aziz in 1971.

King Salman’s historic visit to Japan is expected to broaden cooperation between the two countries.

King Salman will later fly to the Maldives before heading to Jordan on March 27, where he will attend the annual Arab summit.