The Saudi-Chinese Business Forum concluded in Beijing on Wednesday, resulting in the signing of 57 agreements and memoranda of understanding (MoUs) worth over $3.78 billion between Saudi and Chinese organizations.

The forum saw the participation of Saudi Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Abdulrahman Alfadley, along with a wide range of officials and investors from both nations’ agricultural and food sectors.

In his remarks, Alfadley emphasized the robust economic relationship between the two countries, stating that “trade exchange between Saudi Arabia and China has exceeded $107 billion,” highlighting the strategic importance of their bilateral ties. He added that China accounts for 18 percent of Saudi Arabia’s foreign trade, making it one of the Kingdom’s key trading partners.

The signed agreements cover multiple sectors, including environment, water, agriculture, fisheries, and livestock. Notable initiatives involve knowledge sharing on water recycling, human capacity-building programs, seaweed farming stations, and the production of biofuels and biofertilizers.

Plans were also announced for a smart city in Saudi Arabia focused on food security, which will include factories, laboratories, and integrated logistics services. Another agreement outlined the development of a comprehensive industrial city in the Jazan region, aimed at boosting supply chains and expanding investment opportunities in agriculture-related industries.

While in China, Minister Alfadley also met with the Chinese Minister of Ecology and Environment, Huang Runqiu, to explore cooperation in areas such as environmental protection, pollution control, ecosystem restoration, and the exchange of expertise in sustainable environmental practices.

Alfadley’s three-day visit to Beijing, which ended Wednesday, aimed to deepen Saudi-China collaboration in environmental sustainability and explore future partnership opportunities in this critical field.