The Republic of China government has expressed condolences upon the death of Saudi Arabia's ruler, King Fahd, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said yesterday.
MOFA spokesman Michel Lu said the government directed ROC Representative to Saudi Arabia Yang Sheng-chung to convey its condolences to the Saudi authorities earlier in the day.
Fahd died early yesterday at the King Faisal Specialist Hospital in the Saudi capital of Riyadh. His brother, Crown Prince Abdullah, has been appointed the country's new monarch.
Lu said the ROC government looks forward to the continued strengthening of relations between Taiwan and Saudi Arabia under the new Saudi monarch.
"It is hoped that King Abdullah will continue to beef up the friendly relations between Taiwan and Saudi Arabia," Lu said.
Despite the absence of formal diplomatic ties, Saudi Arabia is a major crude oil supplier to Taiwan.
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