Saudi Aramco’s chief executive has praised China’s contribution to helping the west hit its net zero targets as the world’s largest oil producer strengthens commercial ties with Beijing.

Speaking at World Energy Congress on Monday, Amin Nasser defended China against the accusations that it was “dumping” cheap solar panels and electric vehicles on Europe.

“China really helped by reducing the cost of solar energy,” he said in Rotterdam. “A lot of what happened in solar panels is because of what China did in terms of reducing [prices]. We can see the same now in electric vehicles. Their cost is one-third to one-half the cost of other electric vehicles. So we need globalisation and collaboration if we are going to achieve our energy targets by 2050.”