China In-Focus — Stocks rebound; Asian giant certifies new civil helicopter; Brazil may export corn to China
Updated 26 July 2022
Nirmal Narayanan
RIYADH: China stocks rebounded on Tuesday as real estate developers continued to rise on news that Beijing was planning to set up a fund to aid the troubled industry.
The CSI300 index rose 0.9 percent to 4,250.82 at the end of the morning session, while the Shanghai Composite Index gained 0.8 percent to 3,276.71.
The Hang Seng index added 1.5 percent to 20,868.29. The Hong Kong China Enterprises Index gained 1.5 percent to 7,182.28.
China certifies new civil helicopter jointly developed with Airbus
China has certified the use of a helicopter jointly developed by a state-run company and Airbus, state-controlled media reported on Tuesday.
The AC352, developed by Aviation Industry Corporation of China and Airbus, is the locally produced variant of the Airbus H175, which has been in service since 2015 outside China and is designed to perform search and rescue, emergency medical services and law enforcement missions.
A certification ceremony was held in Harbin on Tuesday, CCTV reported.
The companies, in 2014 signed a joint production agreement for 1,000 AC352s.
The helicopter is powered by the turboshaft WZ16 engine, developed by state-run engine-maker Aero Engine Corporation of China and Safran Helicopter Engines. It was the first helicopter engine certified by both Chinese and European authorities.
China is also in the process of certifying for use its C919 aircraft, the first homegrown narrowbody jet designed to challenge Airbus and Boeing.
Brazil may export corn to China in the second half
Brazilian and Chinese officials are re-discussing a trade protocol so that Brazil can ship corn to China sooner than intended, Brazilian Agriculture Minister Marcos Montes said on Monday.
Montes said the successful revision of the protocol would allow Brazilian corn to be exported to China in the second half of the year as opposed to next year, as was agreed earlier with Beijing officials.
Montes said Brazil is harvesting a large second corn crop, adding the Chinese are keen to import the Brazilian product.
“It will be discussed in the coming days whether we will be able to export the current corn crop,” Montes said, adding discussions to revise the protocol had taken place earlier on Monday.
“They want it right away,” Montes said, referring to China’s appetite for Brazil’s production of the current season.
Using space science to protect Saudi Arabia’s environment
Kingdom is harnessing satellite technology to forecast disasters, boost agriculture
Updated 02 January 2026
Haifa Alshammari
RIYADH: Learning space science has delivered significant environmental benefits worldwide, helping many countries better understand and manage climate challenges.
Saudi Arabia is now taking steps not only to explore the galaxy but also to invest in future generations who can apply space science to pressing environmental issues at home.
Last November, the Space Academy, part of the Saudi Space Agency, launched a series of seminars designed to enhance knowledge and develop skills in space science and technology, with a particular focus on Earth observation.
Running for nearly a month, the program formed part of a broader strategy to nurture national talent, raise scientific awareness, and build data capabilities that support innovation and research across the Kingdom.
Developing space sector can eventually help reduce some of the critical climate issues such as drought and air pollution. (AFP)
As efforts to strengthen the sector continue, important questions remain: How can space science translate into tangible environmental benefits? And how large is the global space economy?
In an interview with Arab News, Fahad Alhussain, co-founder of SeedFord, highlighted the scale of the opportunity and its environmental impact.
“To be frank, the slogan that we always use in space is that ‘saving the Earth from the space.’ It is all about this,” Alhusain told Arab News.
“You can recall a lot of related environmental issues like global warming, related to forests, related to the damage that happens to the environment. Without space, it would be almost impossible to see the magnitude of these damages.”
According to Alhussain, satellites have transformed how experts observe environmental changes on Earth, offering a comprehensive view that was previously impossible.
“By collecting data and using satellites… You can better analyze and measure so many things that help the environment,” said Fahad Alhussain. (Supplied)
He said that “the transformation of technology allows even the non-optical ways of measuring, assessing, and discovering what is going on in the environment … you can even anticipate fire before it happens in the forest.”
“You can detect the ice-melt down, you can get huge amount of information and can see it through the weather maps…there is a huge section in the economy for the environment,” Alhussain commented.
A 2022 report by Ryan Brukardt, a senior partner at McKinsey & Company, published by McKinsey Quarterly, found that more than 160 satellites currently monitor Earth to assess the impacts of global warming and detect activities such as illegal logging.
Brukardt cited NASA as an example of how advanced satellite tools are used to track environmental changes, including shifts in ocean conditions, cloud cover, and precipitation patterns. He also noted that satellite data can help governments determine when immediate action is needed, particularly in response to wildfires.
FASTFACT
Did You Know?
Satellites collect massive amounts of data, and AI is used to help interpret this information more efficiently and predict future outcomes.
The global space economy surpassed $600 billion in 2024 and is projected to exceed $1 trillion by 2030.
Saudi Arabia has established three key entities: the Supreme Space Council, the Saudi Space Agency, and the Communications, Space, and Technology Commission.
Beyond disaster response, satellites offer vital insights for agriculture. According to Brukardt’s report, scientists can use space-based data to monitor crop development and anticipate threats to harvests, such as drought or insect infestations.
These wide-ranging applications explain the rapid growth of the global space economy.
According to World Economic Forum research, the sector is projected to reach $1.8 trillion by 2035, nearly tripling from $630 billion in 2023.
A deeper understanding of space and its applications offers Saudi Arabia, and the world, better tools to anticipate climate challenges, protect ecosystems, and safeguard biodiversity. (Supplied)
For Saudi Arabia, expanding space science capabilities could help address the country’s arid conditions by monitoring desertification and identifying sources of air pollution. Early detection of droughts, heatwaves, and crop stress could support more effective environmental planning and response.
Space-based data could also play a critical role in tracking environmental changes in the Red Sea and surrounding coastal ecosystems, strengthening marine conservation efforts and supporting the Sustainable Development Agenda.
As Alhussain emphasized, advancing knowledge in space science and satellite technology enables experts to measure environmental damage accurately and predict disasters before they occur, allowing for more effective responses.
By investing in space science education and research, the Kingdom can build national expertise, strengthen environmental protection policies, enhance food and water security, and contribute to global efforts to combat climate change—while also benefiting from the rapidly expanding space economy.
Ultimately, a deeper understanding of space and its applications offers Saudi Arabia, and the world, better tools to anticipate climate challenges, protect ecosystems, and safeguard biodiversity.
“By collecting data and using satellites, you can better analyze and measure so many things that help the environment,” said Alhussain.
“There will be patterns where you can warn people, scientists and decision makers to do something about it.”
