AMMAN, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- Jordan regards China as an important partner in its efforts to modernize the energy sector, given China's advanced expertise and broad technical and industrial capabilities in renewable energy, energy storage and smart grids, Jordanian Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Saleh Al-Kharabsheh has said.
Al-Kharabsheh, who accompanied Jordan's King Abdullah II during his visit to China in August, said in a recent interview with Xinhua that the visit provided an opportunity to see China's advances in technology, innovation and the energy sector, particularly in renewable energy, energy storage, smart grids and mining.
In the energy sector, the signing of a memorandum of understanding with China's National Energy Administration was an important step towards moving bilateral relations from general cooperation to more practical prospects, he said.
The memorandum covers opportunities for cooperation in national electricity grid modernization, energy storage, renewable energy, green hydrogen and green ammonia, as well as an integrated system of clean energy-related industries and services.
Al-Kharabsheh said the cooperation complements Jordanian-Chinese efforts on environmental protection and climate change, and is in line with the two countries' shared goal of building more sustainable, resource-efficient economies and reducing emissions.
He noted Jordan's new energy strategy focuses on developing and modernizing the energy sector, increasing the share of renewable energy, upgrading the electricity grid with battery storage technologies and artificial intelligence.
Cooperation with China can help attract high-quality investment to Jordan, develop new projects, create jobs and strengthen energy and mining industries and services, thereby increasing local added value and enhancing the competitiveness of the Jordanian economy, he added.
Al-Kharabsheh praised the contribution of Chinese companies to expanding Jordan's domestic energy supply, saying that cooperation with Chinese firms allows Jordan to draw on China's experience in developing smarter and more flexible power grids capable of efficiently meeting the growing demand for renewable electricity.
Chinese expertise and technology can also help improve energy efficiency, reduce losses, with positive effects on sectors including water, industry and transportation, he said.
"Jordanian-Chinese energy cooperation is not limited to meeting the Kingdom's energy needs. It can also be a driver of economic development, a platform for developing emerging industries, and an opportunity to strengthen Jordan's role as a regional hub for green energy and related services and technologies," he said.
Looking ahead, Al-Kharabsheh said Jordan sees significant opportunities for successful partnerships with Chinese companies and looks forward to expanding cooperation into broader areas, including technology, innovation and knowledge transfer, thereby helping to build local value chains.
The minister said the partnership between the two countries could serve as a model based on investment, technology transfer, capacity building and shared value creation, helping to advance the aspirations of both countries and lay a foundation for further development in Jordan-China relations. ■
