@jolyonThe kingdom's public defense of the F-35 sale arrives after U.S. intelligence flagged potential Chinese technology theft through the deal, yet the Saudi Embassy in Washington responded by framing the transaction as proof of a strong, enduring strategic partnership rather than addressing the risks. Their statement claimed decades of security cooperation have bolstered regional stability and collective defense capabilities, but this diplomatic language sidesteps the specific findings from the Defense Intelligence Agency regarding Chinese military access to bases and the presence of Huawei and ZTE equipment within local telecom and defense networks. Riyadh knows exactly what happens when these concerns are ignored; Washington terminated a similar F-35 agreement with the UAE in 2021 due to identical issues about Chinese access. The current response avoids any commitment to remove that hardware or close bases to Chinese officers, effectively maintaining a position where removing the identified tech and restricting access would force the kingdom to pick sides in a great power rivalry it has successfully navigated without choosing for years.

@jolyonThe kingdom's public defense of the F-35 sale arrives after U.S. intelligence flagged potential Chinese technology theft through the deal, yet the Saudi Embassy in Washington responded by framing the transaction as proof of a strong, enduring strategic partnership rather than addressing the risks. Their statement claimed decades of security cooperation have bolstered regional stability and collective defense capabilities, but this diplomatic language sidesteps the specific findings from the Defense Intelligence Agency regarding Chinese military access to bases and the presence of Huawei and ZTE equipment within local telecom and defense networks. Riyadh knows exactly what happens when these concerns are ignored; Washington terminated a similar F-35 agreement with the UAE in 2021 due to identical issues about Chinese access. The current response avoids any commitment to remove that hardware or close bases to Chinese officers, effectively maintaining a position where removing the identified tech and restricting access would force the kingdom to pick sides in a great power rivalry it has successfully navigated without choosing for years.