The 7th China-Arab States Expo kicks off in Yinchuan, Northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region on Aug 28, bringing together over 17,800 participants from 75 countries and regions. Photo: Zhang Weilan/GT

Themed "Innovation, Green, and Prosperity," the seventh China-Arab States Expo is being held in Yinchuan, Northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, from Thursday to Sunday. Officials and business representatives from China and Arab countries see the expo as the launchpad for decades of "high-quality, two-way investment" in the digital, green, and artificial intelligence (AI) sectors, the Global Times learned.  

More than 7,600 domestic and overseas guests, along with representatives from more than 2,200 business associations and enterprises from 75 countries and regions, are attending the expo. With an estimated 17,800 participants, this year's event focuses on practical economic and trade cooperation between China and Arab countries, promoting concrete cooperation in emerging areas such as the digital economy, AI, clean energy, and finance, the Global Times learned from the event organizers on Thursday.

The expo is expected to create new opportunities to deepen economic and trade ties between China and Arab countries. There is significant potential in strengthening cooperation in traditional energy, emerging industries, digital economy, AI technology and financial cooperation, Niu Xinchun, executive director of the China-Arab Research Institute of Ningxia University, told the Global Times on Thursday.

Arab countries have a strong demand for China's technology and market, while China's cooperation with Arab countries in the energy resources has great potentials, Niu said, noting the complementarity creates broad space and bright prospects for cooperation.

According to the organizers, this year's expo shines a spotlight on cutting-edge technologies and applications. Industry leaders such as China Telecom, China Unicom and Huawei are showcasing China's AI achievements, while the latest advances and real-world deployments in clean energy are also taking center stage.

The digital economy exhibition zone features display on AI, the gaming sector, smart meteorology and cross-border e-commerce, with the AI and gaming sector exhibition areas being new, the Global Times learned.

This year's expo also features several firsts. Among them, the China International Contractors Association (CHINCA) is hosting a promotional event for overseas industrial parks and infrastructure investment, aiming to boost participation by major domestic and international companies. The Silk Road E-Commerce innovation and development conference is also being held for the first time from Wednesday to Friday, contributing to the development of a mutually beneficial and win-win global e-commerce market, according to the organizers.

Chinese renewable energy company Envision Group unveiled a strategic joint venture with Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund and manufacturer of renewable energy systems Vision Industries, a move that will accelerate Envision Group's global presence while capitalizing on the region's growing momentum for industrial collaboration in new technology and the green sector, the Global Times learned from Envision Group on Thursday. 

This venture aims to accelerate wind power growth throughout the Middle East, committing to driving the region's journey toward a cleaner, more sustainable future. The collaboration will support Saudi Arabia's goal of localizing 75 percent of renewable energy components by 2030, said the company.

For two-way investment, Chinese enterprises have established several industrial parks in countries like Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, implementing a range of productive projects in metal smelting, building materials manufacturing, cotton spinning and aquaculture, helping Arab countries diversify their economies, Fang Qiuchen, chairman of the CHINCA, told the Global Times on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Arab sovereign wealth funds and enterprises have invested in China's petrochemical, new-energy and technology sectors, achieving mutual benefits, according to a press release from China's Ministry of Commerce on July 28.

These regional collaborations serve as the latest examples of how businesses are tapping into vast opportunities, particularly in the digital, new-energy and technology sectors, as both sides are pursuing the common goal of high-quality development, Niu said.

At the ongoing expo, a Jordanian technology adviser who has spent the past five months touring China said that the next great trade corridor will be digital. Mohamad Sabbah, CEO of Direct Ventures and board member of the Arab International Investment Forum, told the Global Times on Thursday that his company signed an agreement with China Broadband Capital last week as part of efforts to deepen cooperation in digital and information and communications technology between the Arab world and China. 

Under the deal, the two sides will jointly develop a cross-border, fully verified business-to-business platform that streamlines compliance, documentation and payments for companies operating in both regions, he said. Sabbah described it as "a digital Silk Road built on fiber-optic cables and blockchain rather than camels and caravans."

Niu said that the partnership "marks a concrete step toward the Digital Silk Road" -- an initiative under the broader Belt and Road Initiative that focuses on building digital infrastructure, promoting digital trade, and establishing digital governance rules with partner countries.

The China-Arab States Expo, successfully held for six sessions, has achieved multiple cooperation outcomes and witnessed deepening cooperation and mutual benefits between China and Arab states, Ameen Alobaidi, an Iraqi reporter with China Arab TV, told the Global Times on the sidelines of the China-Arab States Expo.

"Six years ago, we came for oil equipment, today we come for new-energy products, batteries, and algorithms," Ameen Alobaidi said, noting that China's new-energy vehicles are gaining popularity in the Middle Eastern markets. Chinese brands such as BYD and Li Auto are performing well among Arab consumers, enjoying a strong following among family-oriented Arabs. Meanwhile, China's fast-evolving AI and humanoid robots are quickly gaining traction across the Arab world, paving the way for fresh tech partnerships.

China has become the largest trading partner of Arab countries, the Xinhua News Agency reported on Tuesday. Trade between China and members of the Arab League reached 1.72 trillion yuan ($241.61 billion) during the first seven months of 2025, setting a record for this period and rising 3.2 percent year-on-year, Xinhua reported.