Interview
RIYADH – As Saudi Arabia advances its Saudi Vision 2030 and deepens its economic and technological ties with China, Saudi companies are increasingly turning to China for long-term partnership, a Saudi strategist told Xinhua in a recent interview.
“China brings not only products, but also technology, experience, and the future,” said Rayan Al Amoudi, strategy and business development executive manager of Nesma Infrastructure & Technology (NIT) and the chairman of the China-Saudi Arabia Technology Innovation Center.
In his view, bilateral cooperation has evolved beyond trade and engineering contracts to encompass technology transfer, localization, joint investment, digital transformation, and artificial intelligence (AI).
NIT’s cooperation with Chinese companies focuses on digital transformation, smart cities, infrastructure, and energy, according to Al Amoudi.
“What we are looking for now is no longer simply bringing finished products into Saudi Arabia. We want the technology to come with them,” he said, adding that Saudi Arabia seeks to introduce technologies and build local capability instead of focusing solely on consumption.
Cooperation between China and Saudi Arabia is increasingly aligning with this trend, according to the strategist.
The pace of bilateral corporate cooperation has accelerated notably, and Chinese tech enterprises such as Huawei have left a deep impression through their expansion in the Saudi market, he noted.
Meanwhile, local perceptions of Chinese technology have improved. “Now, more and more government entities and companies realize that Chinese technology is value for money, affordable quality, and fully capable of meeting project needs,” he added.
Al Amoudi, who has visited China many times, described his first trip in 2013 as “a cultural shock,” saying he was stunned by the country’s mature infrastructure. Each subsequent visit, he noted, revealed further changes in airports, transportation, and digital life.
He also expressed keen interest in China’s intelligent warehouses, where robots handle sorting and dispatch with minimal human intervention, as well as in the country’s advances in AI, noting that he had encountered AI-powered services in hotels, food delivery, and airports.
“People used to say ‘Made in China.’ Now I identify more with ‘Innovated in China,’” Al Amoudi said, noting that this kind of know-how-sharing cooperation creates greater long-term value.
Looking ahead, Al Amoudi expects further deepened bilateral cooperation in green infrastructure, water treatment, digital transformation and AI data centers.
As Saudi Arabia strives to build a regional AI hub, its geographical, energy and policy advantages make it highly competitive for data center development, and NIT hopes to play a bigger role in relevant projects, he said.
The expert also hailed Chinese-language education in Saudi Arabia and China’s visa-free policy for Saudi visitors as important boosters for bilateral ties, which help Saudis view China through diversified exchanges instead of outdated assumptions.
In his view, Saudi Vision 2030 is highly compatible with China’s Belt and Road Initiative. With exchanges deepening in technology, industry, education, and people-to-people contacts, the prospects for China-Saudi Arabia economic and technological cooperation are broad, he said.
– Xinhua
