The Saudis have outlined their conditions for a true and binding pact. Such a pact is highly unlikely, not least because of the current US political atmosphere and the issue of US-Saudi mistrust.
News of a $40bn fund in collaboration with Silicon Valley and Wall Street will places Riyadh among the leading riders in the race for dominance in an AI-driven future.
The Kingdom has seen visitor numbers grow but its ambitions are much bigger and broader. Plans to open its doors and sites come with a massive $800bn investment set to boost the sector.
Saudi Arabia's new approach that looks after its own interests seems to be paying off. China has been pivotal in getting regional players to cooperate peacefully in a way that benefits all.
Opening up shares in the state oil firm to domestic and global investors has helped its $3tn valuation, leaving it in the top three firms by market capitalisation, behind only US tech giants
China's maritime focus at present remains in its vicinity. Its presence in the Middle East is a slow build. It might never become a regional military superpower, but it can't be ruled out entirely.
What would the regional and global implications of a US military withdrawal from the region look like? Our March issue's cover story provides some answers.
Both China and the Gulf have much to offer one another, especially with the Gulf's thirst for big infrastructure projects and China's thirst for carbon.
Europe's new Aspides maritime operation to safeguard vessels being attacked by Houthis in Yemen has set it on a different course from the US. It needs to sail carefully if it is to succeed.
When Israel considers its next move after Iran's retaliatory attack, it is not simply calculating the cost and benefits of a response but will also be creating a new equation for future exchanges.
From the Israeli attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus to Iran's retaliation on Israel, the Syrian leader has been acting strangely normal. Al Majalla gives a breakdown of the past two weeks.
The unprecedented Iranian retaliation was an attempt to reestablish its deterrence and remind the region of its capabilities, which were seemingly eroded over the years.
The world remains distracted by other conflicts and crisis, but with this large African country on the brink of famine and no end in sight to the fighting, there are warnings that Sudan could splinter
Its direct military action on Israel showed how the strategic calculus in a turbulent region has changed. Will the US try to use Iran's strike on Israel to hit back at Tehran and weaken it regionally?