RIYADH: Saudi Arabia expressed its solidarity with China following the heavy rains that have been pounding Henan province for almost a week and that have killed at least 33 people.
The Kingdom’s foreign ministry sent its sincere condolences to the families of the deceased and the Chinese government and people.
It wished a speedy recovery for the injured and hoped the missing would be found alive.
Heavy rain continues to fall on parts of Henan province of which Zhengzhou is the capital city.
A year’s worth of rain poured on the city in just three days, overwhelming drains and sending gushes of muddy water through streets, road tunnels and the subway system.
Streets have been turned into rivers and people are stranded in apartments, offices, hotels and homes.
In the worst incident in Zhengzhou, 12 people died on Tuesday night in flooded subway stations.
Tens of thousands of people are being evacuated from flood-hit regions in Henan province.
The storm front is now shifting to northeastern Henan, affecting cities including Hebi, Anyang and Xinxiang, state broadcaster CCTV reported.
Saudi Arabia expresses solidarity with China after Henan floods
https://arab.news/wz3wd
Saudi Arabia expresses solidarity with China after Henan floods
- Heavy rain continues to fall on parts of Henan province of which Zhengzhou is the capital city
- The Kingdom wished a speedy recovery for the injured and hoped the missing would be found alive
Deals worth $8bn signed at World Defense Show 2026
- Five-day event brought together 1,486 exhibitors from 89 countries and attracted 137,000 visitors
- Andrew Pearcey: We look at the industry and the trends, and see other new features that we can bring to the show
RIYADH: More than 60 military and defense deals worth SR33 billion ($8.8 billion) were signed at the third edition of the World Defense Show, which ended on Thursday in Riyadh.
The flagship defense exhibition is part of Saudi efforts to expand its military industries sector.
Organized by the General Authority for Military Industries, the five-day event brought together 1,486 exhibitors from 89 countries and attracted 137,000 visitors, according to official figures announced at the closing media briefing on Thursday.
Ahmad Al-Ohali, governor of the General Authority for Military Industries, said the event reflects broader efforts to localize defense spending under Vision 2030.
“When we started in 2018, the percentage of military spending from within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was 4 percent of total spending; by the end of 2024, it jumped to 25 percent,” he said.
Al-Ohali added that number of national cadres working in the sector increased from 25,000 male and female employees in 2020 to 34,000 — a rise of 40 percent.
Beyond attendance and displays, the exhibition served as a venue for commercial and government agreements.
The number of agreements signed reached 220, including 93 government-to-government agreements and 127 partnership agreements with companies.
Al-Ohali said the deals include technology transfer and local manufacturing projects aimed at strengthening domestic supply chains.
Aerial and static displays included 63 aircraft, alongside more than 700 pieces of military equipment exhibited across indoor and outdoor platforms. Maritime and unmanned systems were also showcased through dedicated demonstration areas.
Andrew Pearcey, CEO of the World Defense Show, said that planning for the next edition had already begun.
“So, what we do is we take stock of our successes, so we’re now starting to see what worked, and we also learned that some things that didn’t work,” Pearcey told Arab News.
“Over time, one of the key things is to try and grow; the demand for this show is huge, so we want to try and accommodate that.
“So, we need to try and build more space. Then we look at ways we brought new features to this show. So, we look at the industry and the trends, and see other new features that we can bring to the show.”
The event also introduced a “Future Talent Program” during its final two days, inviting students aged 16 to university level to explore career opportunities in the defense sector.
“The future talent program is where we invite youngsters, so from 16 up to university level, to come and look at the show, understand what career opportunities there are in the defense industry, sit and do some content programs, and meet the exhibitors that want to demonstrate some of their things,” Pearcey said.
“So, we bring around 4,000 to 5,000 students to the show. So, that’s bringing that next generation through.”
