Saudi Arabia buys high-tech China drones
ARAB NEWS | Published — Thursday 1 September 2016
ROBUST DEFENSE: Wing Loong drones will enhance Saudi Arabian forces' capability to monitor borders
JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia has signed a contract with China for the purchase of an unspecified number of pterodactyl planes, also known as Wing Loong or medium-altitude long-endurance unmanned drones, according to a report in Al-Watan newspaper.
The Chinese unmanned drones are modeled after MQ-1 Predator; they have surveillance capabilities and are able to carry two air-to-ground missiles.
According to the Global Times, the Kingdom is the first Arab country to obtain such types of drones, which were developed by Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group.
According to a press statement from the company last year, its drones are sold to four countries, including an unnamed country in Central Asia, while a series of negotiations are still going on with other potential clients.
The pterodactyl flies more than 4,000 km in 20 hours, and has a total payload capacity of up to 200 kg. It is equipped with laser-guided sensors.
Prince Mohammed's visit to China, Japan widely praised
RODOLFO C. ESTIMO JR. | Published — Sunday 4 September 2016
RIYADH: Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s visits to China and Japan have been praised by a cross section of Saudi society which believes they will be beneficial to the Kingdom and international cooperation.
“The visit to China and Japan is an extension of Saudi Arabia’s remarkable international relations,” said Usamah M. Al-Kurdi, vice chairman of the International Chamber of Commerce-Saudi Arabia.
Al-Kurdi said that being friendly with as many countries as possible will benefit the Kingdom, which can thus explore the possibility of cooperating with these countries in various fields.
“The Kingdom has nothing to lose by being friendly with other countries. Instead, it gains good will,” said Al-Kurdi who used to be a Shoura Council member.
The visit is part of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 plan, by which Saudi Arabia will gradually move away from dependence on oil as an engine of economic growth, he said.
Japanese Ambassador Norihiro Okuda had said that “Japan stands ready to help Saudi Arabia lessen its dependence on oil.”
“Japan is ready to help with the implementation of the Vision 2030 plan by reducing Saudi dependence on oil,” the Japanese envoy said.
The deputy crown prince is currently in China for the G20 summit. Before that, he was in Tokyo where he held talks with Japanese Premier Shinzo Abe and Emperor Akihito.
A defense agreement between Japan and the Kingdom was signed between Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Japanese Defense Minister Tomomi Inada on Friday.
Before the visit to Japan, the deputy crown prince was in China, a visit that, according to Abdullah Al-Meleihi, Al-Ramez International Group president, paves the way for Chinese businessmen to come to the Kingdom for investment purposes.
“Our group itself was able to sign agreements with Top Trans TTG, one of China’s biggest companies, to finance imports to Saudi Arabia to the tune of $100 million,” said Al-Meleihi, a member of the Saudi-Chinese Council.
Representatives of Al-Ramez and other top Saudi firms were part of the Saudi delegation headed by the deputy crown prince.
Saleh Al-Sultan, economic and financial consultant who was also part of the Saudi delegation, said the visit is “good, to say the least, as far as Saudi Arabia is concerned.”
“During our visit, we discussed the possibility that Chinese products, such as machinery, would be manufactured or assembled in the Kingdom,” said Al-Sultan.
He said that this would result in creating additional job opportunities as well as in the economic growth of the Kingdom.
Chinese media hails renewed momentum in relations
ARAB NEWS | Published — Thursday 1 September 2016
Saudi Arabia's Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (L) looks on as Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) gestures to greet arriving members of the Saudi delegation during a meeting at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing on Wednesday. (AFP)
BEIJING: Chinese newspapers highlighted the visit of Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to China and focused on the strategic partnerships between the two countries.
They pointed to the strong fundamentals in the relations between the two countries, which were established by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman when he visited China as crown prince in 2014.
Papers talked about the visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to the Kingdom early this year, during which the two countries signed several agreements that contribute to strengthening cooperation between them.
Newspapers stressed that with the current visit of Prince Mohammed to China, the two countries are looking forward to further developing the strategic partnership, highlighting the fact that China and Saudi Arabia have identical views on major international and regional issues.
The Council of Ministers approved the Saudi 2030 Vision, through which the Kingdom seeks to find wealth and prosperity by diversifying its resources.
This visit by the deputy crown prince to China is important to achieve the goals of the vision because it ensures a diversification of the sources of income, helps reduce dependence on oil and benefits from the Chinese experience.
Newspapers covered the Chinese-Saudi Business Forum, which was held on the sidelines of the visit. At the forum, many key agreements were signed by businessmen. They will enhance trade and investment in the two countries.
Looking East strategically important
ARAB NEWS | Published — Wednesday 31 August 2016
MARCHING HAND IN HAND: Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman with Chinese State Councilor and Defense Minister Gen. Chang Wanquan before talks in Beijing on Wednesday. (SPA)
JEDDAH: Economists and businessmen have agreed that the deals signed during the visit of Deputy Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman between Saudi Arabia and China represent an important and promising strategy that will liberate the Kingdom from the limitations of depending on certain continents and their trade mediators, such as the United States and the European markets.
They noted that choosing China and Japan was a very important decision in the field of technology transfer, as these economic and commercial agreements will have a positive reflection on political issues and will contribute to achieving the goals of the Kingdom’s vision 2030 with regard to the process of nationalizing industries.
Saleh Hafni, member of the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce, said these agreements confirm that the Kingdom is moving in the right direction, which is economic and commercial diversification and liberation from dependence on US products. He added that moving toward the East does not mean that the Kingdom cannot continue to work with the West, but simply means it can diversify its products.
Economist and vice president of the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Ziyad Al-Bassam, said that targeting China and Japan by signing important economic agreements is very important because it indicates strong economic diversification. According to him, these agreements will result in mutual cooperation with regard to technology transfer and nationalization, especially since Japan and China are advanced technologically and many other countries depend on their industrial products around the world.
“These agreements are very important for the Kingdom, which seeks to diversify its economic income and decrease dependence on oil through Vision 2030. This requires the Kingdom to depend on itself for the manufacturing and production process. As China is an open country, it will be easier to transfer technology from there,” he said.
Businessman and former Shoura Council member Mohammad Al-Mutlaq said that moving toward the East is a wise decision and a strategic plan to diversify economic income sources and forge commercial and economic cooperation with various countries. "Cooperating with China facilitates technology transfer within the import process which already exists. This cooperation contributes to technology transfer and opens the door for Chinese companies to invest in the Kingdom, in addition to transferring Chinese expertise to the Kingdom," he said.
Businessman Sami Idrees said these agreements confirm that the Kingdom is ready to deal directly with the Chinese market instead of mediators such as European countries and the United States, which manufacture in China and export their products to Arab countries. "These agreements provide an opportunity for the Kingdom to enter the global market in a new way, especially in terms of Chinese and Japanese markets. This agreement has economic and investment dimensions, as China aims to open markets rather than to control products or technology," he noted.
Royal trip spells out vision of peace and partnership
GHAZANFAR ALI KHAN | Published — Wednesday 31 August 2016
FIRM FRIENDSHIP: Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman shakes hands with Chinese President XI Jinping in Beijing on Wednesday. (SPA)
RIYADH: Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s visit to China, Japan and Pakistan is a reconfirmation of the highly commendable role played by Saudi Arabia at the international level, with three major components in its foreign policy— peace, partnership and business diplomacy.
Prince Mohammed, who is also the defense minister, has flown to the three powerful Asian nations with a view to strengthen relations with them.
The prince will be traveling later this week to attend the G-20 summit in China, which is being held this year in a difficult and complicated political and economic situation facing the world in general, and the Middle East in particular.
Prince Mohammed will undoubtedly contribute quality and content to the G-20 deliberations, when he will spell out his vision for peace, security, partnership and above all, business within the framework of his economic reform drive.
The prince has already conveyed the concerns of the Arab world to the leaders of Pakistan and China. He will do the same in Japan today. The royal visit is part of a broad and ambitious reform drive championed by the prince to cut the Kingdom’s reliance on petroleum exports, and showcase Saudi Arabia as a dynamic destination for business, investment and diverse opportunities for all.
But Prince Mohammed, who has left no stone unturned to reshape the Saudi economy, is equally conscious of the turmoil in the Middle East, which has been hampering efforts to promote trade and investment. Prince Mohammed, in his talks with top Chinese officials, covered the whole range of bilateral, regional and international issues. His talks with China’s Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli on Tuesday, were candid and substantial, which will also go a long way in promoting peace and security in the Middle East, and in its extended neighborhood.
During the visit of Prince Mohammed to China, a raft of 15 memorandums of understanding were signed between the two nations in different fields including oil storage, water resources, cooperation in science and technology and culture. These agreements were in different sectors, ranging from energy to housing, with the aim to bolster relations with the Kingdom’s top energy customer and trade partner.
On Tuesday, Saudi Arabia and Chinese governments signed these MoUs, among which one in the energy sector and another in storing crude oil are of great importance. The MoU on oil storage is the most prominent given that Saudi Arabia had never stored oil in China before. Saudi Arabia currently owns three storage sites, namely Okinawa in Japan, Sidi Krir in Egypt, and Rotterdam in Holland. The Kingdom used to have another storage site in the Bahamas, but that was closed several years ago.
The accords in oil sector with China will help Saudi Aramco, especially in terms of lending more ability to market Aramco oil in China. According to analyst Mohammed Al-Ramadi, such plans in the energy sector are very important to supply the demand of quick and sudden shipments. No doubt, Saudi Aramco has been able to build strong relations with China, and the sales of Aramco oil increased drastically in the case of China. This augurs well for the stronger energy ties between Riyadh and Beijing at a time when the Kingdom's Vision 2030 puts a strong emphasis on partnerships.
Most of the accords signed between the Kingdom and China are within the framework of the Vision 2030, which was launched by the prince in April this year with an aim to develop non-oil industries in Saudi Arabia and attract billions of dollars of foreign investment. Also, Chinese and Japanese banks and companies are expected to play major roles by working closely with Saudi institutions, as well as government agencies.
Top Saudi officials, who are accompanying Prince Mohammed have had talks with major Chinese and Japanese banks on a number of bilateral economic issues, including on the sale of a 5 percent stake in Saudi Aramco. Prince Mohammed, who will be in Japan for four days from Aug. 31, will also be holding talks with high-ranking Japanese officials on all issues of common concern.
From Japan, the prince will return to China again to chair Saudi Arabia’s delegation to the Sept. 4-5 summit of leaders of the world’s 20 biggest economies in the eastern city of Hangzhou. A source familiar with the trip said Prince Mohammed, at the G-20 summit, will present his economic reform plan, which envisages state spending of around SR270 billion in the next five years on projects to diversify the economy.
Referring to the visit of the prince to Japan, a report said that “the Kingdom and Japan will review the strategic relationships and future opportunities to enhance the existing partnership.”
The visit to Japan is part of a broad reform drive championed by the prince to cut the Kingdom’s reliance on oil exports and showcase Saudi Arabia as a dynamic nation with diverse opportunities for business and especially for investors from around the world.
Beijing eyes closer KSA ties
GHAZANFAR ALI KHAN | Published — Thursday 1 September 2016
ALLIES FOR GROWTH: Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman being welcomed by Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Wednesday. (SPA)
RIYADH: Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman wrapped up his three-day official visit to China after holding extensive talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Wednesday.
The talks focused on major issues of common concern, including Sino-Saudi ties as well as key regional and international issues; which are deemed as essential components for peace and security in the Middle East and the world at large.
Prince Mohammed conveyed the greetings of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Naif to Xi.
Prince Mohammed and Xi also discussed “ways to expand strategic cooperation,” said SPA. Xi said: “It is necessary for Saudi Arabia and China to deepen cooperation in all fields, especially within the context of the complicated and ever-changing current international and regional situations.”
Meanwhile, the prince also announced scholarships for Saudi students studying in the accredited universities in China, said a Saudi official. The announcement to offer scholarship to students under the “Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Program for Foreign Scholarship” was made on the instructions of King Salman.
This was the first state visit of Prince Mohammed to China, where he attended several meetings, events and social interactions. From meeting Xi to chairing the first inter-government meeting with Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli, the prince has had his hands full during the visit.
A hectic agenda awaits the prince in Japan on Thursday and again in China on Sept. 4 as he would utilize his stay to meet top global leaders, address meetings, interact with top-notch businessmen in addition to his participation in the G20 meeting.
On the sidelines of the visit, a major economic forum — Kingdom’s Vision 2030 and the Initiative of One Belt One Road — within the framework of the Saudi-Chinese Joint Commission was also organized in Beijing. Its inaugural session, co-chaired by Prince Mohammed, revealed that the Kingdom ranks as the top supplier of crude to China.
On investment front, “the Saudi investments in China exceed $15 billion,” said Majid Al-Qassabi, minister of commerce and investment, who delivered the keynote address.
On commercial front, SABIC along with Shenhua Ningxia Coal Industry Group Co. Ltd. (SNCG) and the Government of the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region of China, agreed on a set of principles for cooperation in the further development of a potential joint venture between SABIC and SNCG to build a greenfield coal-to-chemicals complex.
Prince Mohammed also met in Beijing with a group of officials and top executives of the most important Chinese companies.
Two pacts were also signed by the Saudi Industrial Property Authority (MODON) and its Chinese counterpart in the field of solar power and for developing and administering industrial cities in the Kingdom.
The pacts were signed under the patronage of Khalid Al-Falih, minister of energy, industry and mineral resources, who is also MODON chairman. The prince sent a cable of thanks to Chinese President and Vice President Li, after his departure.
Fusing Vision 2030 with Belt Road Initiative
ARAB NEWS | Published — Saturday 3 September 2016
BEIJING: A panel discussion entitled “Saudi Vision 2030 and the Belt Road Initiative: Together for a Promising Future” was held in Beijing during the visit of Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources Minister Khalid Al-Falih, Commerce and Investment Minister Majid Al-Qassabi, Telecommunications and IT Minister Mohammed Al-Suwaiyel, Culture and Information Minister Adel Al-Toraifi and Yasir Al-Rumayan, managing director of the Public Investment Fund, participated in the panel discussion.
At the beginning of the discussion, Al-Qassabi highlighted available investment opportunities for Chinese companies in the Kingdom.
He noted that the Kingdom’s natural resources as well as its geographical location plus Chinese economic power provided great economic and investment opportunities for Chinese companies.
Al-Suwaiyel spoke of the Kingdom’s great progress in the field of communications and information technology.
“The overall effectiveness of the Kingdom’s sector for communications and information technology depends on four key players — the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, the Communications and Information Technology Commission, the companies carrying out the work and the Saudi Post,” he said.
He noted that youth represented 60 percent of the Saudi population. He said that Saudis working in the sector were 20 percent with the remaining 80 percent being non-Saudis.
Al-Suwaiyel stressed that the ministry had held meetings with regional and international companies, including a Chinese company, for the purpose of training Saudi youth in the field of communications and information technology.
Al-Toraifi lauded the keenness of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman in supporting and improving bilateral relations between Saudi Arabia and China in all fields. He pointed out the great respect King Salman had for the Chinese people and their rich culture.
“I’m glad to be on this panel, and I have the highest respect for the Chinese people. We know that China is a land of wisdom, and have had the opportunity to visit the Chinese Museum and be briefed on various aspects of China’s ancient culture and heritage,” Al-Toraifi said.
“In my capacity as the minister of culture and information, I also serve as a member of the Council of Political and Security Affairs. In addition, I am a member of the Council of Economic and Development Affairs and thus, I have experience in the security and political spheres as well as on the cultural side,” he said.
“I learned a great deal from King Salman who devotes much of his time to reading. This has pushed me to follow his example. I remember that the king is known in the Arab world as a friend of journalists. I remembered this because I know the large number of books on China that he has read. He has the greatest respect for the Chinese people and their ancient culture.”
Al-Toraifi pointed out that King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Naif had directed the ministers and the delegation to introduce Saudi Vision 2030 to the Chinese people by fully exploiting the visit of Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the People’s Republic of China.
He pointed out that the ministers accompanying the deputy crown prince sought to introduce the vision in the most advantageous way for the Chinese and in attempting to do so, they concluded that economy, politics, charity and development should all be linked together.
He highlighted the favorable outcomes of the deputy crown prince’s visit to China through meetings with Chinese officials and the signing of agreements and memorandums of understanding between the two countries in all fields.
He considered the Belt Road Initiative one of the main pillars of the Saudi Vision 2030 which would seek to make China among the Kingdom’s biggest economic partners.
Al-Toraifi stressed his personal keenness on improving cultural exchanges between Saudi Arabia and China in order to achieve greater convergence between the two friendly peoples.
He added that there were efforts being made to present Chinese culture to Saudi society and Saudi culture to Chinese society.
“With this aim, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) launched a Chinese-language website six months ago. One of the things that we have done during this visit is to hold meetings with Chinese officials and sign memorandums of understanding with them. Our goal is to bring the Saudi and Chinese peoples closer and to increase tourism between the two countries,” he said.
Regarding the Kingdom’s foreign investments, Al-Rumayan of the Public Investment Fund stressed that there had been many discussions of investment opportunities with Chinese companies in the fields of infrastructure, construction, advanced technology and others.
He mentioned that there were great investment opportunities for Chinese companies in the Kingdom, and he pointed out that there are multi-partnerships among Saudi and Chinese companies as well as joint investment on the international level.
Al-Falih spoke of the importance of the visit paid by the deputy crown prince to China. He lauded Saudi-Chinese strategic relations, particularly in the field of energy.
He added that Saudi Arabia and China had signed a number of agreements pertaining to energy. He said connections between the two countries provided more investment opportunities and he specifically mentioned the possibilities that are a part of the Saudi Vision 2030.
He pointed out a number of investment opportunities in the fields of infrastructure, industries, technology and other development.
Saudi Arabia calls for closer ties between G20 allies
GHAZANFAR ALI KHAN | Published — Monday 5 September 2016
PARTNERSHIP: Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Hangzhou.
GRAND WELCOME: Chinese President Xi Jinping receives Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the G20 Summit. (SPA)
The deputy crown prince’s talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, US Secretary of State John Kerry, British Prime Minister Theresa May, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Indonesian President Joko Widodo focused on a range of bilateral, regional and international issues.
After meeting the world leaders, the deputy crown prince expressed hope that “the G20 summit will help chart a course for the world economy and boost global growth.”
He said that closer consultations with allies are important for solving global problems and also for reaching solutions to the problems facing the Middle East region.
The deputy crown prince was also scheduled to explain the “Vision 2030” to world leaders and decision-makers, currently attending the summit.
The delegation of the Kingdom to the G20 is led by the deputy crown prince who was received by Chinese President Xi Jinping on arrival at the summit venue.
Commemorative photos were also taken for the deputy crown prince and leaders of the summit.
The summit started with a call made by Chinese President Xi not to indulge in “empty talks,” rather to work out substantial prescriptions for global economic woes.
Xi said that the international society looks forward to seeing the G20 summit play a positive role in boosting the global economy and enhancing international economic cooperation.
China and Saudi Arabia are both important G20 members and emerging economies. The Kingdom today ranks among the top investment destinations in the world besides being a reliable partner in overcoming global economic challenges, that have hampered the momentum of growth, peace and security.
Referring to his talks with Russian President, the deputy crown prince said: “The Kingdom and Russia are working closely to prevent ugly situations in the Middle East.”
He said that Riyadh regards its cooperation with Kremlin as a priority.
“We also want to spin the wheel of economic cooperation, and not simply ensure that it continues spinning but moves even faster than now,” the deputy crown prince said, as quoted by the Kremlin website.
In fact, cooperation between Saudi Arabia and Russia will bring benefits to the global oil market, the deputy crown prince said.
Putin said that the two countries, the world’s leading oil producers, are seeking ways to prop up a weak oil market; a move which is in the interest of oil producing as well as consuming countries.
“It is important for Russia to maintain a dialogue with Saudi Arabia,” said Putin.
Referring to the subjects discussed by the deputy crown prince and Indian Premier Modi, a report published in a section of Indian press, said that “the two leaders discussed the opportunities of bilateral cooperation and ways of enhancing them in various fields.”
More importantly, they also held discussions on the need for UN Security Council reforms and on ways to boost commercial links, especially in sectors like energy and maritime security.
Modi has been further quoted in the report as saying that the deputy crown prince “is a strong friend of India.” The Indian premier also called for “strengthened partnership with Saudi Arabia in various areas such as infrastructure and low-cost housing.”
He invited greater Saudi investment, mainly through the National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF), and sought greater cooperation in infrastructure, particularly in modernization of railway stations.
The Indian premier also named India as a stable source of food supply for the Kingdom.
The deputy crown prince also met with British Prime Minister Theresa May on the sidelines of the summit on Sunday. During the meeting, they discussed different aspects of existing Saudi-British cooperation and ways of strengthening them, in addition to the latest developments in regional and international arenas.
In another meeting, the deputy crown prince met Kerry and discussed bilateral relations and issues of common concern.
Top officials accompanying the deputy crown prince also held bilateral meetings in China on Sunday.
Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir held bilateral meetings with Kerry, Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi and South African Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Maite Nkoana-Mashabane.
During the meetings, they reviewed bilateral relations and latest developments at regional and international levels, which will be further evaluated by the heads of states of the G20 countries.
Founded in 1999, G20 (Group of 20) is an international forum of 20 major economies including the US, UK, China, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, South Africa, and South Korea.
Only three member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), namely Saudi Arabia, Indonesia and Turkey, are members of this powerful G20 forum.
Some of the deals signed with China
MOU Details
China and Saudi Arabia signed 15 agreements and memorandums of understanding on Tuesday. The Saudi Press Agency listed the following MoUs as being signed:
• Memorandum of understanding (MOU) on energy development;
• MOU on oil storage;
• MOU on cooperation on mining;
• MOU on housing development;
• MOU on cooperation between the Chinese Ministry of Commerce and the Saudi Fund for Development;
• MOU on cooperation on water resources;
• MOU on the construction of a new city;
• MOU on cooperation on product quality control, supervision, testing and quarantine;
• MOU on a loan fund to help finance the reconstruction of the areas affected by earthquakes;
• MOU on cooperation between the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology and King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology;
• Agreement for a development loan to help finance the construction of buildings of the Faculty of Professional Engineering and Financial Project;
• Silk Road executive development program;
• Executive program of the Convention on Cultural Cooperation;
• Cooperation program between China’s Department of Standardization and the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality; and
• Memorandum of cooperation on translation and publication of literary and classical works.
During the meeting, the two sides also reviewed strategic ties and efforts to strengthen the existing partnership between China and Saudi Arabia.
From the private sector part, Saudi Arabia signed MoUs with Shanghai Electric and Huawei. There are more meetings planned with other corporations in the coming day.
Excellent news!
@Shotgunner51 @Chinese-Dragon @ChineseTiger1986 @alarabi @Decisive Storm
