The Saudi King kicked off a month-long tour of Asia this week, as the oil kingdom looks to bolster ties in the east as it loses confidence in the U.S. as a stable ally. The trip began in Malaysia where King Salman inked a $7 billion deal , promising to invest in a Malaysian petrochemical complex run by state-owned oil company Petronas. From there, he will tour Indonesia, Brunei, Japan, China and the Maldives. The objectives of the trip are multiple. First, Saudi Arabia wants to keep and expand its market share in Asia. China is the largest crude oil importer in the world, and Saudi Arabia is China’s top oil supplier. However, competition is stiff and growing amid an oversupplied market. Russia and Saudi Arabia have battled for several years over the Chinese market, with Russia fast gaining ground. While Saudi Arabia has a slight edge in terms […]