BEIJING — Minister of Municipal, Rural Affairs and Housing Majed Al-Hogail met, in Beijing, with a number of Chinese bank heads to discuss investment and development opportunities in infrastructure projects in the municipal and housing sectors in Saudi cities. Al-Hogail reviewed with the heads of the Export–Import Bank of China, the China Development Bank, and the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Saudi Arabia's plans and programs to provide housing schemes and raise the sector's quality. This also included the master plans for building technologies and project sustainability, in addition to financing and refinancing programs from banks to facilitate housing development. The minister also discussed joint cooperation opportunities and exploring various financing models for infrastructure projects in the Kingdom. Al-Hogail expressed his aspiration to open new horizons and opportunities for Saudi-Chinese investment, and to enhance the partnerships with the Chinese banks and companies that are specialized in the fields of developing the infrastructure of the cities, housing and financing. The minister will patronize the Saudi-Chinese Business Forum, which will kick off on Wednesday in Beijing, with the attendance of a number of the Ministry's officials and Saudi investors, in addition to representatives of Chinese companies and businessmen. The Saudi-Chinese Business Forum will review investment opportunities and advantages that Saudi Arabia is providing in the fields of infrastructure and housing, with the aim of attracting the best Chinese companies to invest in Kingdom, and enhance the partnerships between the two sides. It is noteworthy that Al-Hogail has conducted, during the past days of his official visit to China that will last until Aug. 16, a number of visits, meetings, and bilateral meetings with a number of leaders of Chinese companies specialized in the fields of infrastructure, housing, and financing. These meetings were conducted in order to discuss opportunities to enhance cooperation and exchange experiences in the fields of infrastructure, urban development, housing, real estate development, and financing. This is in addition to reviewing the opportunities that Saudi Arabia is providing the municipal and housing sectors.
