Saudi Arabia is already scorching hot, while the climate in Heilongjiang, northern China, is still cool and pleasant. A cross-border economic and trade exchange event, the “Investment China Heilongjiang Saudi Arabia Economic and Trade Cooperation Exchange Conference,” was held on April 30th in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia. More than a hundred representatives from both China and Saudi Arabia shared friendship and sought common development at an event themed “Sharing New Opportunities, Joining Hands to Create the Future”.
Riyadh is under scorching sun, with daytime temperatures approaching 40 degrees Celsius. The promotional video for the ice and snow festival brought by the Heilongjiang delegation brought the audience back to the Asian Winter Games in February this year. The scene of Saudi Arabia’s artistic performance in the promotional video sparked applause from the audience. The relay baton for the Asian Winter Games was handed over from Heilongjiang, China to Saudi Arabia in February this year.
Xu Qin, Secretary of the Heilongjiang Provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Provincial People’s Congress, said in his speech that economic globalization is the trend of the times, and open cooperation is the trend of the times. Heilongjiang Province is willing to adhere to win-win cooperation with Saudi Arabia, continue the deep bond of the Asian Winter Games, actively share the successful experience of the Harbin Asian Winter Games, engage in all-round cooperation, and help Saudi Arabia successfully host the 10th Asian Winter Games. Adhere to complementary advantages, strengthen the docking and cooperation of economic and trade industries, jointly maintain the stability and sustainability of industrial and supply chains, and cultivate new growth points in economic and trade industries.
Sara Said, an official from the Saudi Ministry of Investment, said that in recent years, high-level visits between Saudi Arabia and China have been frequent, supporting practical cooperation between Saudi Arabia and various parts of China, including Heilongjiang Province, resulting in a continuous increase in trade volume between the two countries. Heilongjiang Province has obvious advantages in areas such as agricultural food, traditional and new energy, and technological innovation. Saudi Arabia hopes to cooperate with Heilongjiang Province’s advantageous industries to transform each other’s advantages into tangible results and achieve mutual benefit and win-win outcomes.
Chinese Vice Minister of Commerce Ling Ji said that this event is one of the important activities for “investing in China” in 2025. Heilongjiang Province is rich in resources and energy, with a strong foundation in science, technology, and industry. It is transforming the “ice and snow” into a “golden and silver mountain”. I believe that ice and snow sports will open up new areas of cooperation between China and Saudi Arabia.
Anas Alfada, Vice Chairman of the Saudi Chinese Business Council, said that the cooperation between Saudi Arabia and Heilongjiang Province reflects the common enterprising spirit of Saudi Chinese enterprises. The Saudi China Business Council is willing to play a bridging role and further strengthen the economic and trade ties between the two countries.
In the promotion session, representatives from both parties and enterprises conducted themed promotion and sharing exchanges on the business and investment environment. Entrepreneurs from China and Saudi Arabia stated that Heilongjiang Province has abundant tourism resources, with ice and snow tourism brands such as Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival, Harbin Ice and Snow World, and “China Snow Town” renowned both domestically and internationally. We hope that both sides can further strengthen exchanges and cooperation in organizing ice and snow events, athlete training, venue construction, and other aspects.
Heilongjiang Province has unique agricultural resources, abundant scientific and educational resources, and a relatively complete industrial system. Saudi Arabia is promoting the modernization and transformation of agriculture, investing heavily in technology and education, with strong capabilities in energy technology, and broad prospects for cooperation between the two sides.
Entrepreneurs from both sides expressed their willingness to jointly build a modern green agricultural product production and supply base, drive more Heilongjiang products to enter the high-end consumer market in Saudi Arabia, and bring Heilongjiang green food to Saudi Arabia’s dining table; Willing to jointly build innovation demonstration bases, carry out joint research and development, and transform achievements; We hope that both companies can engage in trade and investment cooperation in related industrial fields.
On that day’s investment exchange meeting, multiple cooperation projects were signed, involving traditional energy upgrading, agricultural product trade, and high-end manufacturing. “This exchange meeting has yielded fruitful results, which makes us look forward to the broad prospects of Saudi Arabia’s’ 2030 Vision ‘and the’ the Belt and Road ‘initiative,” said Anwar Makin, general manager of Saudi Elite Medical Group.