Forum promotes more Sino-Saudi agri cooperation

China and Saudi Arabia are deepening cooperation in agriculture and sustainable development, with more than 600 representatives from government and industry attending the China (Beijing)-Saudi Arabia Forum on Agricultural Industry and Sustainable Development in Beijing on Tuesday.

At the forum, more than 70 cooperation agreements were signed between Chinese and Saudi enterprises and institutions, with a total value exceeding $4 billion. The deals cover areas such as green technology applications, smart equipment, biotechnology and seed research and development, and cross-border supply chains.

Officials, experts and business leaders attending the forum from both sides emphasized the strong complementarity between China and Saudi Arabia in agricultural development, seeing enormous potential for cooperation in fields including infrastructure development, agri-food production and processing, smart agriculture, and sustainable farming.

"This forum injects strong momentum into the ongoing expansion of economic and trade relations between Saudi Arabia and China," said Saudi Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Abdulrahman Abdulmohsen AlFadley. "We particularly hope that such institutional cooperation mechanisms can lead to more effective cooperation in the agricultural sector."

He welcomed "all partners in the agricultural field between China and Saudi Arabia" and stressed the importance of bringing mutual benefits to both sides.

Saudi Arabia views agriculture as a key part of its Vision 2030 economic diversification strategy. "The cooperation proposals and pathways between Saudi Arabia and other countries — especially China — are part of an overall framework to drive economic development," AlFadley said.

Zhang Jianwei, Party secretary of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Beijing Sub-Council, noted that China is Saudi Arabia's largest trading partner, and Saudi Arabia is China's largest trading partner in the Middle East.

With global food security under pressure, Zhang called for deeper international collaboration to modernize agriculture and ensure sustainable growth.

He said Beijing plays a pivotal role in advancing agricultural innovation. "Beijing has a strong agricultural industrial foundation and a well-developed industry chain. It is home to the country's top agricultural universities and the largest number of agricultural research institutions," he said, adding that the contribution rate of agricultural science and technology progress has reached 75 percent in Beijing.

"In recent years, Beijing has targeted global agricultural frontiers with a key focus on areas like modern seed industries, smart agriculture and intelligent equipment. Through policy guidance, technological breakthroughs, platform building and international cooperation, it has created a collaborative innovation ecosystem, offering a 'Beijing model' for global high-quality agricultural development," Zhang added.

He pointed to Saudi Arabia's growing investments in agriculture under its Vision 2030 as a natural fit. "Beijing and Saudi Arabia are highly complementary in the agricultural sector, with enormous potential for cooperation in areas such as infrastructure development, agri-food production and processing, smart agriculture and green farming."

"We hope enterprises from both sides will join hands and fully leverage their strengths in technology, education, talent, and capital — focusing on tackling key agricultural challenges to generate more pioneering scientific achievements," he added.

Official data showed that Saudi Arabia has been the largest trading partner of China in the Middle East since 2001, and China has been Saudi Arabia's largest trading partner since 2013. Bilateral trade reached $107.23 billion in 2023.

Osama Kokandy, a member of the Saudi-Chinese Business Council, emphasized the strategic alignment between the two nations. "Food security is a critical element in our Vision 2030 in Saudi Arabia… China is advanced in technology — especially in agriculture."

"There are lots of Saudi companies interested in cooperating with Chinese companies," he said. "We witnessed today the signing of agreements and MOUs. There will be great partnerships and joint ventures."

Kokandy also highlighted the improvement and development of Saudi produce, describing Saudi dates as "one of the top-quality dates around the world", with "great potential in the Chinese market due to their quality, variety, and competitive pricing".

While agriculture took center stage at the forum, Kokandy noted that Saudi-China cooperation spans broader sectors. "This collaboration is not limited to agriculture. It's also in several sectors such as manufacturing, technology and mining," he said.