Saudi Arabia's influential deputy crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, who leads an economic reform drive at home, left for talks in the United States on Monday, official media said.
The visit comes with the longstanding US-Saudi relationship strained by greater American energy independence and last year's international nuclear agreement with Riyadh's regional rival Iran.
Prince Mohammed, 30, who is also defence minister, will hold talks with US officials on "strengthening bilateral relations and discussing regional matters of mutual interest", the Saudi Press Agency said.
It gave no details on the programme of the visit or its duration.
The prince, who is King Salman's son, was accompanied by a ministerial delegation including Finance Minister Ibrahim al-Assaf and Commerce and Investment Minister Majid al-Qasabi.
His trip follows an April visit to the kingdom by US President Barack Obama, who also attended a summit meeting with Gulf leaders.
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