The Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources, Bandar bin Ibrahim Al-Khorayef, has on Wednesday embarked on an official visit to China, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.
Al-Khorayef heads a delegation, including Deputy Minister of Industry for Planning and Development, Dr. Abdullah Al-Ahmari; CEO of the Saudi Industrial Center, Saleh Al-Solami; and CEO of the Saudi Authority for Industrial Cities and Technology Zones (MODON), Majed Al-Argoubi.
China Visit Goals
The Saudi delegation aims to explore cooperation opportunities between both countries in the fields of automation and technology solutions.
It also seeks to attract targeted investments for Saudi industrial and strategic sectors, such as automotive, technology and artificial intelligence (AI) sectors.
Exploring Opportunities
During the visit, Al-Khorayef will meet senior Chinese government officials, as well as the CEOs of a number of leading Chinese companies in automotive, automation and technology solutions industries. These include Huawei, General Lithium, Jiangxi Copper, and Guangzhou HI-GEAR.
Furthermore, the Saudi Minister will participate in a roundtable business meeting, organized by Guangdong Chamber of Commerce. He will also meet with the Chairman of the Guangdong Chamber of Commerce.
Moreover, Al-Khorayef will make a tour in the Guangzhou Economic and Technological Development Zone, where he will visit Mino Equipment Co., Ltd., Modern Industrial Investment Holding Group, and automotive manufacturer GAC Group.
Saudi-Chinese Relations
The Saudi Industry Minister’s visit to China is part of an economic tour to East Asia, including Singapore and China. Al-Khorayef leads the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources’ delegation to enhance bilateral relations, attract investments to the Kingdom, and explore mutual investment opportunities in the industrial sector.
In 2023, the Saudi non-oil exports to China surpassed SAR 28bn, while the Kingdom’s imports from China totaled SAR 160bn. Saudi exports to China included chemical, plastic, and metal products, in addition to machinery and equipment.
Meanwhile, Saudi imports from China involved machinery, electrical appliances and equipment, iron and steel.
