RIYADH: Saudi Arabia and China are exploring opportunities to cooperate in technology and related infrastructure, with the Kingdom’s top minister meeting top Chinese executives during his official visit.
On Tuesday, Saudi Minister of Communication and Information Technology Abdullah Al-Swaha met with Huawei CEO Ren Zheng in Shenzhen to enhance the current partnerships in digital fields while promoting capacity development, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
During his visit to Huawei’s headquarters, the minister also met with several Saudi students and technical talent undergoing training for a Huawei ICT Academy program in partnership with the Saudi Digital Academy.
Being one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, the Kingdom has been focused on building a strong foundation for its booming digital economy.
Huawei has been supporting the Kingdom’s efforts to develop a digital economy by signing multiple deals and forming partnerships.
During the Mobile World Congress held in Spain in March, Huawei signed a memorandum of understanding with Saudi Arabia’s telecommunication operator Zain KSA to form a joint innovation project.
The deal was to promote innovation in 5.5G technology and expand scalable offerings to individuals, enterprises, and governments.
Under the agreement, both parties will work together to strengthen the digital infrastructure in Saudi Arabia by building a global 5.5G network aligned with Vision 2030.
The minister’s visit to China comes in light of strengthening Saudi-Chinese relations, which will promote the growth of the digital economy and achieve prosperity in innovation and space.
The minister was accompanied by a high-level delegation representing entities affiliated with the digital economy, space and innovation system in the Kingdom.
Additionally, the minister met with his Chinese counterpart and several other officials to enhance partnerships and attract more technological investments into the Kingdom.
Saudi Arabia has achieved notable advancements in the global digital arena, ranking 31st in the UN e-Government Development Index for 2022.
Additionally, the country has secured the top position in the Middle East and North Africa region for digital government services in the Government Electronic and Mobile Services Maturity Index for 2021.
