The Saudi-Chinese Forum for Product Export and Agricultural Sustainability wrapped up in Beijing with 57 agreements and MoUs worth over SAR 14 bn (USD 3.7 bn) inked between Saudi and Chinese entities, Al Riyadh reports.

Who’s involved? Some 36 Saudi entities — both public and private — met with their Chinese counterparts. The parties signed 26 agreements focused on exporting Saudi products to the Chinese market, solidifying an expanding trade corridor between the two economies. The agreements span agriculture, water, environment, fisheries, and livestock.

The highlights:

  • Water and sustainability tech: Saudi and Chinese players agreed to swap know-how on water recycling, roll out human capital development programs, build marine algae farms, and produce biofuels and fertilizers. Agreements also included the use of cloud computing to enhance water treatment processes.
  • Infrastructure: One agreement will create a smart city in Saudi Arabia dedicated to food security, featuring a network of factories, research labs, and logistics hubs designed to power the Kingdom’s agri-supply chain.
  • Industrial development: Another agreement greenlights an industrial city in the Jazan region, focused on basic and transformational industries. The aim? To strengthen supply chains and open doors for agri-linked manufacturing and investment.
  • Animal production: Private sector players from both countries are partnering on animal production projects — from building modern poultry farms and developing the sheep sector to recycling bee and wool waste, and rolling out genetic development projects for shrimp strains and vertical farming initiatives.
  • Agri-food exports are also a core component of the agreements. New agreements will put more Saudi goods on Chinese shelves, with companies signing contracts to export dates, fruits, vegetables, and bottled water, reflecting efforts to expand Saudi Arabia’s footprint in one of its most important export markets.

China is Saudi Arabia’s top trading partner, making up 18% of the Kingdom’s foreign trade, with total trade between the two surpassing USD 107 bn, Environment Minister Abdulrahman bin Abdulmohsen Al Fadhly said at the forum. The Kingdom’s merchandise exports to China made up 15.2% of total exports in 2024. By January 2025, that share grew to 16.2%.

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