Saudi Arabia is witnessing modernisation processes: Experts

Riyadh, Oct 8 (IANS) The Saudi-Chinese partnership has entered a more mature phase, injecting new momentum into both nations' modernisation processes, said Saudi experts at a recent academic seminar held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The event, titled "Saudi-China Dialogue and Exchange on Modernisation," was jointly organised on Sunday by Saudi Arabia's Centre for Research and Intercommunication Knowledge (CRIK) and China Intercontinental Press, Xinhua news agency reported.

Under the theme "Building the Path to Modernisation Together: Explorations and Practices from Saudi Arabia and China," participants from both sides engaged in in-depth discussions on topics such as cultural exchange, people-to-people communication and green energy development.

Saleh Al-Saqri, former Saudi Cultural attache in China, said that since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1990, Saudi Arabia and China have witnessed remarkable qualitative and quantitative growth of their ties.

Strengthening the comprehensive strategic partnership with China, he added, not only helps Saudi Arabia achieve diplomatic balance but also reflects a shared vision to promote peace and enhance dialogue among civilisations.

The year 2025 marks both the China-Saudi Cultural Year and the 35th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries. In this context, Haitham Alsayed, director of the Chinese Studies Unit at the CRIK, said that cultural and people-to-people exchanges serve as one of the main pillars for deepening friendship and enhancing mutual understanding between the two nations.

Alsayed noted that cooperation between the two countries in organising joint cultural exhibitions and events, academic and student exchanges, as well as translation and publishing projects, has yielded fruitful results. "These initiatives not only promote knowledge exchange but also help strengthen connections between the younger generations of the two countries," he added.

In recent years, cooperation between China and Saudi Arabia in the field of clean energy has seen significant progress. Abdulrahman Marshod, a researcher at the CRIK, said that the cooperation between the two countries in clean energy represents a deep strategic transformation in bilateral relations -- moving from a traditional oil- and trade-based model to one driven by diversification, innovation, and sustainability.

The energy relationship between Saudi Arabia and China has evolved into a strategic partnership centred on clean energy, characterised by complementarity, joint investment, and forward-looking development, he said.

--IANS

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