China's Commerce Minister Wang Wentao met with Saudi Arabia Investment Minister Khalid Al-Falih on August 26,2025. Photo: MOFCOM's official website

Chinese commerce, trade and financial officials met with Saudi Arabia Investment Minister Khalid Al-Falih in Beijing on Tuesday, ahead of the China-Arab States Expo. The two sides exchanged views on deepening bilateral cooperation in areas such as new energy and capital market and jointly upholding multilateralism.

China's Commerce Minister Wang Wentao met with Al-Falih on Tuesday, where the two sides exchanged views on deepening cooperation in trade, investment, and industrial and supply chains, the Ministry of Commerce said in a release on Wednesday.

This year marks the 35th anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and Saudi Arabia. Wang said that under the strategic guidance of the two countries' leaders, the comprehensive strategic partnership has advanced rapidly in recent years, with bilateral economic and trade cooperation entering the "fast lane" and yielding fruitful results.

China is ready to align the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030, expand bilateral trade, enhance two-way investment, and broaden cooperation in areas such as new energy, supply chains and capital markets, to further strengthen economic ties, Wang said.

He added that China is a sincere partner in Saudi Arabia's development, noting that at a time when the global economy faces severe challenges and the multilateral trading system is under unprecedented strain, the two countries should make full use of platforms such as the G20 and World Trade Organization, strengthen coordination, jointly safeguard international trade rules, and uphold multilateralism through openness and cooperation.

Al-Falih said that China is a key strategic partner for Saudi Arabia. Riyadh is ready to deepen trade cooperation, support Saudi companies in expanding investment in China, and welcome more Chinese companies to invest in Saudi Arabia, according the MOFCOM release.

He said that the two countries will strengthen practical cooperation in advanced manufacturing, new energy, supply chains and industrial parks, further enriching their comprehensive strategic partnership. Saudi Arabia supports multilateralism and stands ready to work with China to safeguard the multilateral trading system and global trade rules, according to the release.

On the same day, a China-Saudi Arabia dialogue covering government and business sectors was held in Beijing, where Ren Hongbin, chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), met with Al-Falih to discuss bilateral economic and trade cooperation.

According to a Wednesday statement on the CCPIT's official website, enterprises from China and Saudi Arabia also held direct exchanges, focusing on major project cooperation, industrial chain alignment and investment opportunities.

Ren said that the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Saudi Arabia has deepened, yielding fruitful results across sectors. He urged the business communities of both sides to further expand trade, deepen mutually beneficial investment, and strengthen industrial and supply chain cooperation.

Al-Falih underscored the synergy between Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 and China's BRI. He said that he hopes enterprises from both countries will consolidate the foundation of traditional trade while advancing energy transition, digital innovation and industrial upgrading, and jointly safeguard the stability of global industrial and value chains.

Also on Tuesday in Beijing, China Securities Regulatory Commission Chairman Wu Qing held talks with Al-Falih on strengthening China-Saudi Arabia cooperation in capital market regulation and promoting two-way cross-border investment, the People's Daily reported.

Since its inception in 2013, the China-Arab States Expo has witnessed deepening cooperation and mutual benefits between China and Arab states.

The seventh session will be held from August 28 to 31, in Yinchuan, Northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, according to the Expo's official website.

As of 11 am on August 18, 5,606 domestic and overseas guests had registered for the Expo via its official website, including 869 foreign participants and 4,737 domestic attendees, the People's Daily reported, noting that the number of invited guests and registrations exceeded those of the same period in previous sessions.