Visiting Chinese Minister of Commerce Gao Hucheng and Saudi Arabian Finance Minister Ibrahim Al-Assaf co-chaired the Fifth Session of the Saudi-Chinese Joint Commission of Economic and Technical Cooperation on March 15. The two sides exchanged in-depth views on expanding bilateral trade and two-way investment, extending cooperation in the areas of infrastructure, agriculture, culture, news, education, science and technology, health and security, and strengthening coordination and support to each other in international and regional organizations.
Gao said Saudi Arabia is China’s largest trading partner in the Arab region, an important investment destination and project contracted market. For many years, the bilateral trade and economic cooperation has got on well, bilateral trade has maintained a rapid growth, energy cooperation has upgraded greatly, and positive progress has been made in science and technology, health, new energy and human resource development cooperation. The Chinese side would like to work closely with the Saudi side, give the characteristics of complementary economic structures into full play, strengthen the matchmaking of development strategies, cultivate new cooperative advantages, and promote sound and steady development of China-Saudi Arabia strategic friendly relations with mutually beneficial cooperation results.
Assaf said that the Saudi government attaches great importance to its relations with China and hopes to strengthen trade and economic cooperation with China. The Saudi side welcomes Chinese businesses to invest and upgrade the investment in Saudi Arabia. The Saudi side would like to strengthen cooperation with China in infrastructure and energy areas.
Attending the meeting were representatives from governmental departments, chambers of commerce and associations, financial institutions and enterprises of both sides.
