China praises planned Saudi investment in CPEC

In this file photo, Chinese trucks stand on a pontoon during the opening of a trade project in Gwadar port, some 700 kms west of the Pakistani city of Karachi on Nov. 13, 2016. (AAMIR QURESHI/AFP)
Updated 10 November 2018
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China praises planned Saudi investment in CPEC

  • China has praised Saudi Arabia’s planned investments in Chinese-funded infrastructure projects
  • Saudi Arabia is setting up a new state-of-the-art oil refinery in Gwadar, as Pakistan terms Kingdom the third 'strategic partner' in the multi-billion dollar CPEC project

ISLAMABAD: Saudi Arabia’s plan to invest in China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects is a “positive factor” in contributing to “better interconnectivity, development and prosperity” in the region, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said on Monday.

Earlier, the deputy chief of the Chinese Embassy in Islamabad, Lijian Zhao, said his country has praised Saudi Arabia’s planned investments in Chinese-funded infrastructure projects.

CPEC is the flagship project of the multibillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) of China’s President Xi Jinping, which aims to enhance his country’s global influence by funding infrastructure projects.

After the maiden visit of Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan to Saudi Arabia last month, Islamabad said the Kingdom will be the third “strategic partner” in the $50 billion CPEC.

Earlier this month, a Saudi delegation visited Pakistan and agreed in principle to invest in a new state-of-the-art oil refinery in Gwadar, a deep-sea port in Balochistan province. The two sides are set to sign a formal agreement by the end of this month or early November.

“It is good news for Pakistanis that Saudi Arabia is going to invest billions of dollars in Pakistan’s oil and gas sector,” Pakistani Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said last week.


Closing Bell: Saudi main index closes higher at 10,596 

Updated 23 December 2025
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Closing Bell: Saudi main index closes higher at 10,596 

RIYADH: Saudi equities closed higher on Tuesday, with the Tadawul All Share Index rising 43.59 points, or 0.41 percent, to finish at 10,595.85, supported by broad-based buying and strength in select mid-cap stocks. 

Market breadth was firmly positive, with 170 stocks advancing against 90 decliners, while trading activity saw 161.96 million shares change hands, generating a total value of SR3.39 billion. 

Meanwhile, the MT30 Index closed higher, gaining 6.52 points, or 0.47 percent, to 1,399.11, while the Nomu Parallel Market Index edged marginally lower, slipping 3.33 points, or 0.01 percent, to 23,267.77. 

Among the session’s top gainers, Al Masar Al Shamil Education Co. surged 9.99 percent to close at SR26.20, while Saudi Cable Co. jumped 9.98 percent to SR147.70.  
Cherry Trading Co. rose 4.18 percent to SR25.44, and United Carton Industries Co. advanced 4.09 percent to SR26.46. 

Al Yamamah Steel Industries Co. also posted solid gains, climbing 4.07 percent to end at SR32.70.  

On the downside, Emaar The Economic City led losses, slipping 3.55 percent to SR10.32, followed by Derayah REIT Fund, which fell 2.92 percent to SR5.31. 

Derayah Financial Co. declined 2.13 percent to SR26.62, while United International Holding Co. retreated 1.96 percent to SR155.20, and Gulf Union Alahlia Cooperative Insurance Co. eased 1.92 percent to SR10.70.  

On the announcements front, Red Sea International Co. said it signed a SR202.8 million contract with Webuild S.P.A. to provide integrated facilities management services for the Trojena project at Neom. 

The agreement covers operations and maintenance for the project’s Main Camp and Spike Camp, including accommodation and housekeeping, catering, security, IT and communications, utilities, waste management, fire safety and emergency response, as well as other supporting services.  

The contract runs for two years, with the financial impact expected to begin in the first quarter of 2026. Shares of Red Sea International closed up 0.99 percent at SR34.74. 

Al Moammar Information Systems Co. disclosed that it received an award notification from Humain to design and build a data center dedicated to artificial intelligence technologies, with a total value exceeding 155 percent of the company’s 2024 revenue, inclusive of VAT. 

The contract is expected to be formally signed in February 2026, underscoring the scale of the project and its potential impact on the company’s future revenues.  

MIS shares ended the session 2.82 percent higher at SR156.70, reflecting positive investor sentiment following the announcement.