Saudi Arabia has not yet signed a deal with either South Korea or China as it continues its search for a supplier of its first commercial nuclear power station.

Press reports said no agreement was signed during China president Xi Jinping’s visit to the oil-rich kingdom this week, although “energy security” was on the agenda and no details were released of Xi’s private discussions with Saudi crown prince and prime minister Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud.

This followed a visit by Prince Mohammed, often known by his initials MBS, to South Korea in November, increasing hopes that Seoul would win the lucrative contract to supply reactors.