XIAMEN, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- China-Saudi Arabia cooperation is expanding into more fields, with green transformation, tourism and cutting-edge digital technologies becoming new growth areas, as showcased at the ongoing 26th China International Fair for Investment and Trade (CIFIT) in Xiamen, east China's Fujian Province.
As a guest country of honor of this year's CIFIT, Saudi Arabia has sent a large economic delegation to the fair, which opened Tuesday. The Saudi Pavilion showcases the country's investment environment, highlighting priority opportunities from petrochemicals and energy to advanced manufacturing and digital infrastructure, as well as capital markets and financial technology.
"We are focusing not only on the scale of investment, but also on the expansion and diversification of the investment scope," said Saudi Assistant Minister of Investment Ibrahim Al-Mubarak at the opening ceremony of the fair.
ROBUST TWO-WAY INVESTMENT
Often viewed as a barometer of China's outbound investment and inbound foreign direct investment, the CIFIT has served as an important platform to promote two-way investment, connect industrial chains, and showcase cooperation opportunities.
The 2026 CIFIT attracted more than 1,200 delegations from 129 countries and regions, and 30 international organizations, including government agencies, businesses, and other entities.
During the 2023 CIFIT, Chinese and Saudi companies reached an agreement to invest in an industrial gas center, which complements the Gulei Ethylene Project. Located in Zhangzhou, Fujian Province, the project is another joint venture between Chinese and Saudi companies backed by a total joint investment of 44.8 billion yuan (about 6.7 billion U.S. dollars).
The ethylene project, which is expected to produce 1.5 million tonnes of gas -- 3.6 percent of China's total output in 2025 -- employs nine proprietary techniques from Saudi Basic Industries Corporation. These techniques feature high feedstock flexibility, superior energy efficiency, and ultra-low emissions, placing them at the forefront of global ethylene technology.
While Saudi companies boost industrial efficiency in China, their Chinese counterparts also help drive Saudi Arabia's shift toward sustainable development.
In the desert south of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia's second-largest city, a 2.6-gigawatt photovoltaic power station has been in full commercial operation since May 2025. Contracted by China Energy Engineering Group Co., Ltd., the Al Shuaibah solar project is the largest of its kind in the Middle East. The power station is expected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 245 million tonnes in 35 years, equivalent to planting 545 million trees, according to the contractor.
Data from the Ministry of Commerce show that Saudi investment in China in the first seven months has shown remarkable growth momentum, surging by 343.7 percent year on year. Meanwhile, by the end of 2025, China's stock of direct investment in Saudi Arabia reached 4.26 billion U.S. dollars, with approximately 750 Chinese companies operating in the country.
"Our Chinese partners have brought us green electricity-related technologies such as solar energy, batteries, and power transmission," said Saleh Khabti, executive vice president of ACWA Power and president of ACWA China on Wednesday. ACWA Power is a Saudi power generation and water desalination company.
EXPANDING COOPERATION IN EMERGING SECTORS
Beyond the petrochemical industries, China-Saudi Arabia cooperation has expanded to tourism and cutting-edge digital technologies.
Saudi firm Man3 made its CIFIT debut this year, hoping to help Chinese companies invest safely and successfully in Saudi Arabia. Its head, Abdulmajeed Alfaifi, told reporters that China's advances in AI and robotics, and its supply-chain strengths, are exactly the resources Saudi Arabia hopes to connect with. "We want to link the two sides' businesses and unlock cooperation between them," he said.
Saudi Arabia is also promoting special economic zones which welcome Chinese investors in sectors covering automobile, food, advanced manufacturing, and IT. "We are ready to accommodate you all," said Edwin Lammers, an official with the Economic Cities and Special Zones Authority of Saudi Arabia.
Chinese AI companies have been providing cutting-edge algorithms, large language models, and smart-city solutions for various Saudi mega-projects, from urban management to healthcare. Saudi Arabia is seeking to build technical partnerships with leading Chinese companies and institutions, according to Majid Alshehry, spokesperson of the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority.
Saudi Arabia's tourism transformation also involves Chinese firms. In Diriyah, home to the UNESCO-listed At-Turaif district, Chinese construction firms are helping turn a centuries-old oasis settlement into a global tourist destination under Saudi Vision 2030, with residential, entertainment and educational functions.
The cooperation model between the two countries offers an example that could be applied to other parts of the Middle East, Africa and other emerging economies, helping foster broader multilateral cooperative frameworks, according to Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan. ■
