Saudi Arabia sends a large delegation to the Davos Summer Forum in China

Media outlets reported Saudi Arabia’s intention to send one of the largest official delegations to the Davos Summer Forum this week in China, as Beijing deepens its cooperation with the Middle East to revitalize the world’s second-largest economy after three years of lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The 24-person delegation, comprising six ministers and deputy ministers, will be present at the World Economic Forum’s first event in China in three years, as countries seek to find new investment partners to replace the West.
Saudi Arabia’s delegation will be chaired at the forum in the northeastern port city of Tianjin by the Minister of Economy and Planning, Faisal Ibrahim, and the Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Abdullah Al-Sawaha.

Saudi Arabia is the largest oil supplier to China, and Beijing is Riyadh’s top trading partner, with bilateral trade reaching $116 billion in 2022, up from $87 billion a year earlier.

The Kingdom is keen to receive Chinese assistance to diversify its economy and attract investments away from the oil, refining and traditional communications sectors in sectors such as steel, Internet platforms, video games and tourism.