Chinese Defense Ministry Spokesperson Tan Kefei said on Thursday that the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) is ready to collaborate with Arab forces to support global security initiatives.

"The armed forces of China and the Arab countries are important for maintaining peace and stability throughout the world. Relations between the armies of China and the Arab countries have developed rapidly and in a healthy way in recent years," Tan said during a press briefing.

According to the Chinese spokesperson, "The PLA is ready to work with the armies of the Arab countries to implement the consensus reached at the Sino-Arab summit, jointly promote global security initiatives and further strengthen practical cooperation."

It is worth noting that the first-ever Sino-Arab Summit was held on December 10 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with participation from Chinese President Xi Jinping, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, Kuwait and Bahrain's foreign ministries, and other prominent Arab officials.

This comes as Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries shore up connections with Asian markets amid strained ties between Riyadh and long-standing ally US after OPEC+ cut oil production, ignoring pleas from Washington.

Asia has been for the past decade the top export market for Saudi crude, in particular China, South Korea, Japan, and India.

See more: Saudi Arabia eyes energy cooperation with China amid tensions with Biden