SUSTG.com / Research

Discover stories, topics, and more about Saudi Arebia faster.

Recent stories from sustg

MUST-READS

  • Saudi Arabia weighs nuclear power offers from China and France in bid to sway US

    Saudi Arabia is considering bids to build a nuclear power station from countries including China, France and Russia as the kingdom seeks to sway the US over a sensitive security pact. The kingdom, which is the world’s largest oil exporter, has long sought its own civil nuclear capability and has made US assistance with the programme a key demand in a potential deal to normalise relations with Israel. A breakthrough in relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia would be a major diplomatic victory for President Joe Biden’s administration, which has described it as a priority. But Washington has baulked at Saudi Arabia’s demand for there to be no restrictions on enriching its own uranium.

  • Saudi Arabia mulls nuclear power offers from China and Russia in bid to sway US

    Saudi Arabia is considering bids to build a nuclear power station from countries including China, Russia and France, as the kingdom attempts to pressure the US over a sensitive security pact, according to a report in the Financial Times. Saudi Arabia has long sought its own civil nuclear capability and has made US assistance with the programme a key demand in a potential deal to normalise relations with Israel. A breakthrough in relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest oil exporter, would be a major diplomatic victory for President Joe Biden’s administration, which has described it as a priority.

  • US-Saudi nuclear cooperation makes sense because of China, not just Israel

    The United States is right to be in the civil nuclear competition in the kingdom, even without the prospect of Israel-Saudi normalization. For Saudi Arabia, nuclear power is central to its ambitious, post-carbon Vision 2030 expansion. That’s hardly a unique take in the region. Nuclear power will be in greater, not lesser, demand in the years and decades ahead, and not just in the Middle East.

  • Saudi ruler plays US against China to boost kingdom’s world status

    MBS, as the crown prince is known, has been playing diplomatic hardball with Washington, which for decades has been Saudi Arabia’s key overseas ally. Last October, for example, in a reflection of the understanding Riyadh has reached with Moscow, the Saudi leader dealt a humiliating rebuff to U.S. President Joe Biden’s plea for increased oil production to stem price rises. More strategically – and this is one major reason why the United States and other Western countries have been muting their human rights criticisms – he has been forging increasingly close ties with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

  • China looks to shore up belt-and-road deals with Middle East cash and partnerships as Western investment wanes

    According to figures from the UAE Ministry of Economy, China is a top global trade partner for the federation of seven emirates – Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah, Ras el Khaimah, Sharjah and Umm Al Quwain. The value of non-oil trade between both sides exceeded US$72 billion in 2022, an increase of 18 per cent from a year earlier.

  • China sees Iran-Saudi Arabia relations improving – foreign ministry

    After China's dialogue with Iran and Saudi Arabia, both countries have continued to take steps to improve relations, leading to the formation of a "wave of reconciliation" in the Middle East, China's foreign minister said on Monday. China "appreciates the correct decision made by the Iranian side", Minister Wang Yi said in a statement on Monday, adding that China will continue to support Middle East countries to explore development in line with their own national conditions.

  • China’s EV makers face cost and consumer challenges to conquer Europe

    China's electric vehicle (EV) makers, which have raced past foreign rivals to top sales rankings at home, are arriving in Europe – and facing a new set of challenges. Stereotypes of Chinese manufacturing, import costs, and a less developed EV market are just some of the issues Chinese brands such as BYD (002594.SZ), Nio (9866.HK) and SAIC's MG (600104.SS) will have to overcome to thrive in Europe. They have made a promising start.

  • Saudi Arabia and China sign $1.33 billion in housing deals

    Saudi Arabia's Minister for Municipal, Rural Affairs and Housing Majid bin Abdullah Al-Hogail presided over the Saudi-China Business Forum in Beijing. The event focused on investment opportunities between the two countries related to urban infrastructure, housing, real estate development and financing, and Hogail invited Chinese firms to invest in the kingdom’s real estate sector. Unspecified Saudi and Chinese entities signed 12 agreements at the forum related to infrastructure development and financing. The agreements’ total investment value is more than $1.33 billion, the official Saudi Press Agency reported.

  • Russia’s oil sales to China hurt Saudi revenue despite increased demand

    Despite oil prices maintaining a seven-week rally and crude demand expected to reach record highs in 2023, the burden of maintaining higher oil prices is pushing Saudi Arabia to the limit.

  • Commentary: The reality of China’s influence in the Middle East

    China is not challenging America’s military presence in the Middle East nor is America challenging China’s leadership in trade and infrastructure investment. Although China’s direct military involvement remains minimal, its economic influence will strengthen and shape relationships in the region, for instance, the Chinese-built infrastructure that enhances Turkey’s relations with Central Asia.