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 in red at 10,709

Updated 12 sec ago
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Closing Bell: Saudi main index closes in red at 10,709

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Tadawul All Share Index dipped on Thursday, losing 138.89 points, or 1.28 percent, to close at 10,709.04.

The total trading turnover of the benchmark index was SR6.59 billion ($1.75 billion), as 102 of the listed stocks advanced, while 154 retreated.

The MSCI Tadawul Index decreased, down 22.40 points or 1.52 percent, to close at 1,450.58.

The Kingdom’s parallel market Nomu lost 123.85 points, or 0.54 percent, to close at 22,792.98. This came as 30 of the listed stocks advanced, while 40 retreated.

The best-performing stock was Al-Rajhi Co. for Cooperative Insurance with its share price surging by 9.96 percent to SR74.50.

Other top performers included Jazan Development and Investment Co., which saw its share price rise by 9.89 percent to SR8.33, and Gulf Insurance Group, which saw a 7.48 percent increase to SR23.

On the downside, City Cement Co. and Al Gassim Investment Holding Co. saw declines, with their shares dropping by 5.51 percent and 4.22 percent to SR11.50 and SR13.15, respectively.

On the announcement front, Almoosa Health Co. has signed a construction contract with Almajal Alarabi Group valued at SR608.85 million to complete the electrical, mechanical, and architectural finishing works for the new Almoosa Specialized Hospital in AlHofuf City. 

The agreement, finalized on Feb. 26, covers all complementary internal and external works based on approved engineering designs to ensure the facility is fully operationally ready upon completion. 

According to a Tadawul statement, work on the project will commence immediately, with an expected completion timeline of 16 months. 

Almoosa Health intends to finance the development through a combination of its own resources and long-term Shariah-compliant facilities secured from local banks, with the financial impact anticipated to begin following the hospital’s completion and commissioning.

Almoosa’s share price surged by 4.24 percent to reach SR147.50.