China’s leader Xi Jinping meant business when he traveled this week to Saudi Arabia’s capital, Riyadh. Promising to “usher in a new era” of China-Saudi relations, Xi oversaw the signing of 35 commercial agreements between the two countries, including contracts with the Chinese telecoms giant Huawei, according to Chinese state media. The celebratory atmosphere stands in contrast to the souring mood around the U.S.-Saudi relationship, which took another downward turn in November when the Gulf Kingdom agreed to OPEC oil production cuts — despite the Biden administration’s pleas to get more fuel flowing.  That, in turn, speaks to an emerging view among experts that while China may have failed to qualify for the World Cup underway in Qatar, it is competing strongly in the off-pitch battle for influence in the region. The sheer scale of China’s financial ties with the Middle East have even raised the question of whether it could replace the U.S. as the region’s key