OSAKA: Leaders of the Group of 20 opened a high-stakes summit in Japan’s Osaka Friday that is expected to be one of the most fractious in years.
Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe opened the meeting, which will be dominated by contentious discussions on trade, geopolitical tensions, and climate change.
But the mood appeared friendly in the opening minutes, with smiles on the faces of the arriving leaders as they posed for the traditional “family photograph.”
US President Donald Trump and China’s Xi Jinping, whose countries are mired in a damaging trade war, exchanged a handshake before the photo.
And as the leaders headed into the first session, French President Emmanuel Macron leaned down to whisper something into Trump’s ear, covering his mouth for privacy as he did so.
The first session of the meeting is focused on the digital economy, with concerns about privacy and security on the agenda.
“Digitalization has rapidly changed various aspects of our society and economy,” Abe said as he opened the session.
“I’m happy to see the momentum to globally tackle the digital economy.”
But in a sign of the ongoing tensions likely to dominate talks, Trump appeared to make reference to US concerns about the security threat posed by Chinese telecoms firm Huawei.
As “we expand digital trade, we must also ensure the resilience and security of our 5G networks,” he said.
Trump’s administration has taken measures to ban Huawei, with China reportedly seeking an end to the restrictions as part of any resumption of talks on resolving the trade war.
The summit is being overshadowed by the trade war between the world’s top two economies, with hopes that Xi and Trump can reach a truce when they hold talks on Saturday on the sidelines of the summit.
G20 summit officially opens in Japan’s Osaka
G20 summit officially opens in Japan’s Osaka
- The first session of the meeting is focused on the digital economy
- The summit will be dominated by contentious discussions on trade, geopolitical tensions, and climate change
BYD Americas CEO hails Middle East as ‘homeland for innovation’
- In an interview on the sidelines of Davos, Stella Li highlighted the region’s openness to new technologies and opportunities for growth
DAVOS: BYD Americas CEO Stella Li described the Middle East as a “homeland for innovation” during an interview with Arab News on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum.
The executive of the Chinese electric vehicle giant highlighted the region’s openness to new technologies and opportunities for growth.
“The people (are) very open. And then from the government, from everybody there, they are open to enjoy the technology,” she said.
BYD has accelerated its expansion of battery electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids across the Middle East and North Africa region, with a strong focus on Gulf Cooperation Council countries like the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
GCC EV markets, led by the UAE and Saudi Arabia, rank among the world’s fastest-growing. Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund has been aggressively investing in the EV sector, backing Lucid Motors, launching its brand Ceer, and supporting charging infrastructure development.
However, EVs still account for just over 1 percent of total car sales, as high costs, limited charging infrastructure, and extreme weather remain challenges.
In summer 2025, BYD announced it was aiming to triple its Saudi footprint following Tesla’s entry, targeting 5,000 EV sales and 10 showrooms by late 2026.
“We commit a lot of investment there (in the region),” Li noted, adding that the company is building a robust dealer network and introducing cutting-edge technology.
Discussing growth plans, she envisioned Saudi Arabia and the wider Middle East as a potential “dreamland” for innovation — what she described as a regional “Silicon Valley.”
Talking about the EV ambitions of the Saudi government, she said: “If they set up (a) target, they will make (it) happen. Then they need a technology company like us to support their … 2030 Vision.”
