According to sources, Saudi Arabia is considering a Chinese bid to build a nuclear power plant, which could derail US plans in the kingdom. CNNC, a state-owned company, has bid to build a nuclear plant in Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province, near the border with Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, according to the newspaper, citing Saudi officials familiar with the matter.

CNNC did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters. Both China's and Saudi Arabia's foreign ministries did not respond to requests for comment on the report. As part of a possible normalisation deal with Israel, Saudi Arabia has previously sought US cooperation in establishing a civilian nuclear program on its soil.

US officials have previously stated that they would share nuclear power technology only if the agreement prohibits uranium enrichment or reprocessing of plutonium produced in reactors, both of which are routes to nuclear weapons production.

According to the newspaper, Saudi officials admitted that discussing the issue with China pressured the Biden administration to compromise on its non-proliferation requirements. they said they would prefer to hire South Korean state utility Korea Electric Power to build the plant's reactors and involve US operational expertise, but without agreeing to the proliferation controls Washington generally requires.