Pakistan has announced that its close ally Saudi Arabia would not join the $50 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, days after Islamabad said Riyadh will be the third "strategic partner" of China's flagship project, the Belt and Road Initiative. The CPEC is the flagship project of the multi-billion dollar Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), a pet project of President Xi Jinping aimed at enhancing China's influence around the world through China-funded infrastructure projects.

Pakistan has announced that its close ally Saudi Arabia would not join the $50 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, days after Islamabad said Riyadh will be the third "strategic partner" of China's flagship project, the Belt and Road Initiative. The CPEC is the flagship project of the multi-billion dollar Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), a pet project of President Xi Jinping aimed at enhancing China's influence around the world through China-funded infrastructure projects.