King Abdullah II Visits China to Expand Strategic Ties

King Abdullah II of Jordan began a state visit to China on August 18, 2026, marking his first trip to the country since 2015. Invited by President Xi Jinping, the King is traveling with an economic ministerial delegation to expand bilateral ties as the two nations approach the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations. China became Jordan's top trading partner in 2025, with bilateral trade reaching $6.7 billion.

The itinerary includes high-level meetings in Beijing with President Xi, Premier Li Qiang, and lawmaker Zhao Leji. The King also visited Shanghai to meet with CEOs of leading Chinese companies and is scheduled to visit Shenzhen. These meetings focus on positioning Jordan as a regional manufacturing and export hub, with specific goals to broaden cooperation in green energy, scientific innovation, tourism, and civil aviation.

Beyond economics, the visit addresses regional instability following Iranian attacks on U.S. military bases in Jordan and subsequent U.S. retaliatory strikes. King Abdullah II identified the Palestinian issue as the core regional challenge and called for coordination with China to use its UN Security Council influence to push for a two-state solution. China has positioned itself as a neutral party in the Middle East conflict, seeking to enhance political mutual trust and contribute to regional peace and stability.