Dialogues for cooperation across sectors like digital economy, clean energy, artificial intelligence, modern agriculture, water resources and meteorology
The seventh China-Arab States Expo, held recently in Yinchuan, capital of northwest China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, underscored the city’s growing role as a vital link between China and Arab nations. The event facilitated numerous cooperation agreements across sectors such as the digital economy, clean energy, artificial intelligence (AI), modern agriculture, water resources, and meteorology.
A key highlight of the expo was the release of 500 advanced and applicable technological achievements by the China-Arab States Technology Transfer Center (CASTTC). These innovations, tailored to the needs of Arab nations, spanned areas like green agriculture, environmental protection, and energy efficiency. The technologies were selected from over 1,300 submissions by more than 60 Chinese universities, research institutions, and enterprises through rigorous expert evaluations.
The achievements address critical challenges faced by Arab nations, including food security, desertification control, industrial upgrading, and energy transition. For instance, Ningxia Wozhiyuan Technology Co., Ltd. partnered with a Saudi Arabian company to introduce intelligent irrigation and fertilization systems designed to combat water scarcity and extreme heat in Saudi agriculture.
Since 2013, Ningxia has been at the forefront of fostering science and technology innovation exchanges with Arab states. Under initiatives like the Belt and Road Science, Technology, and Innovation Cooperation Action Plan, Ningxia has co-established CASTTC, built eight bilateral technology transfer centers, and created two overseas cooperation bases. This collaboration has yielded significant advancements in modern agriculture, ecological protection, and desertification prevention, forming a robust technology transfer network connecting thousands of research institutions and enterprises globally.
The China-Arab States Technology Transfer and Innovation Cooperation Conference, held annually in Ningxia since 2015, has been instrumental in driving these efforts. To date, the conference has released over 1,300 technological achievements, facilitated 109 cooperation agreements, and trained over 1,000 technical professionals for Arab nations. This year’s event saw the signing of 13 cooperation agreements in the presence of over 400 Chinese and international guests, further strengthening ties and opening new avenues for collaboration.
Breaking new ground, the seventh expo introduced AI and gaming industry exhibitions for the first time, creating fresh opportunities for China-Arab cooperation. The AI exhibition featured 31 companies, including industry leaders like Huawei, ZTE, and Tencent Cloud, showcasing cutting-edge innovations in computing infrastructure, large language models, robotic arms, and brain-computer interface medical technologies. These advancements demonstrated applications in smart city management, agriculture, healthcare, and cultural tourism. Kuwaiti Ambassador to China Jasem Ibrahem Al-Najem commended the expo, particularly its focus on AI and the burgeoning low-altitude economy. He highlighted Kuwait’s interest in economic diversification and noted the promising prospects for cooperation with China in AI and related fields.
