Interview: Integration of BRI, Saudi Vision 2030 provides development opportunities for enterprises: Saudi businessman-Xinhua

Interview: Integration of BRI, Saudi Vision 2030 provides development opportunities for enterprises: Saudi businessman

Source: Xinhua

Editor: huaxia

2023-11-10 17:26:45

RIYADH, Nov. 10 (Xinhua) -- With the deepening integration of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and Saudi Arabia's "Vision 2030," the economic and trade cooperation between China and the kingdom has been rapidly enhanced over the past decade, bringing valuable development opportunities to enterprises, said Mohammad A. Abunayyan, chairman of Saudi ACWA Power Company.

He told Xinhua in a recent interview that ACWA Power is Saudi Arabia's largest private water desalination company, the first mover into green hydrogen, and a leader in the country's energy transition.

Abunayyan added that thanks to the cooperation under the BRI and the steady development of bilateral relations, China-Saudi cooperation in trade, investment and financing, construction, energy and new technology development has continued to expand, providing diversified and sustainable development opportunities for enterprises.

Since opening an office in Beijing in 2009, Abunayyan's company has established close ties with Chinese enterprises and found like-minded partners in the process of business development. He said over the past decade, ACWA Power has continued to develop in the field of new energy and has received valuable support from Chinese partners in project construction, supply chain and technology.

The chairman highlighted that the company signed, during the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, a number of cooperation agreements with Chinese enterprises on investment and financing, project contracting, and equipment procurement, among others, covering the fields of solar energy, green hydrogen energy and seawater desalination, which further implemented the company's commitment to long-term cooperation with Chinese investors, financial institutions, EPC contractors and suppliers for sustainable development.

He noted that in the fields of new energy and seawater desalination, Chinese companies have shared valuable experience and helped improve the construction and operation capacity of ACWA Power in related projects.

Abunayyan said Saudi companies are also interested in entering the Chinese market. "We see China's huge demand for new and clean energy and look forward to fruitful results from mutually beneficial cooperation with our Chinese partners," he added.