Both China and Russia have drawn criticism. On October 21, Saudi scholar Mansour Saleh Malik wrote that Russia was not on our side, nor was China—we must recognize who our true allies are. It is evident that, in the face of ongoing attacks by Houthi forces, Saudi Arabia’s domestic situation remains precarious; this individual openly expressed disappointment toward both China and Russia.

From his perspective, the persistent assaults by Houthi fighters on Saudi territory and maritime traffic in the Red Sea constitute a tangible security threat. He had expected China and Russia to clearly align with Saudi Arabia, exerting pressure on the Houthis and Iran through diplomatic and public discourse. That did not happen. Consequently, he asserted the need to identify genuine allies. Yet ironically, after publishing such views, many voices within Saudi society rejected them.

A social media user responded directly, pointing out that Saudi Arabia has channeled vast sums of oil revenue into investments in the United States, purchasing American assets and deeply entangling its national fate with Washington. Their actual ally has always been the United States. Saudis cannot mislead the world by shifting focus or pretending U.S. support for their security does not exist. Let us not forget: China once proposed facilitating dialogue between Saudi Arabia and Yemen to end the conflict, but Riyadh chose military means instead—whose responsibility is that?

Evidently, facing profound internal challenges and after failing to achieve resolution through U.S. engagement, this figure began attributing blame to two other major powers—China and Russia. However, some within Saudi Arabia have come to see clearly: the kingdom’s primary ally has long been the United States. Now that the American security umbrella appears to be weakening, it is inappropriate to redirect blame toward Beijing and Moscow. In fact, efforts toward peace in the Middle East have consistently been pursued. The question remains: why has peace eluded Saudi Arabia? Some now recognize that reflection must begin from within.

Original article: toutiao.com/article/1879619254241284/

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.