(Yicai) Dec. 24 -- To achieve the goal of Beautiful China, the country is accelerating its green economic and social transition, aiming to establish a green, low-carbon, circular development economy system and promote sustainable lifestyles by 2035.

Saudi Arabia also has a similar target. Announced in 2016, Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 is a transformative blueprint aimed at diversifying the Gulf nation's economy, reducing its dependence on oil, and positioning it as a global leader in innovation, sustainability, and advanced manufacturing. 

The synergy between Saudi Arabia and China on green transformation is encouraging the two countries to establish a tighter partnership to shape the future of global industry.

Laying a foundation of strong collaboration

As Saudi Arabia and China both continue to make significant progress against these visions, they are working toward transforming the future of industry through strategic collaboration. This has already established impressive milestones, and ties between the two countries continue to deepen. 

Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund recently signed six memorandums of understanding worth a total of USD50 billion with top Chinese financial institutions. In July, Diriyah Company, which leads the development of the Diriyah city project Northwest of Riyadh, awarded a USD2 billion construction contract to China State Construction Engineering Corporation for the district's development. 

Together, China and Saudi Arabia are consistently pushing the boundaries of what is possible in global industry, and their deepening relationship is setting the stage for a new era of industrial evolution that is being realized through transformative projects.

Oxagon: where Saudi and China can ignite industrial change

Oxagon is a new industrial city established in Neom, a project aiming to transform the Red Sea coast of northwestern Saudi Arabia into a futuristic city.

One of the best examples of this collaboration in action is Oxagon's partnership with Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries, the world's leading manufacturer of cranes and large steel structures. 

Together, we are developing the Port of Neom, the region's first operational asset and a key driver of Neom's economic vision. Strategically located on a major global maritime route, this port is critical to boosting Saudi Arabia's connectivity and competitiveness on the world stage. 

We're already seeing significant progress in the port's development and expansion. ZPMC is crucial to this effort, having secured over SAR1 billion (USD266.2 million) in contracts to supply 10 ship-to-shore gantry cranes, 30 electric rubber-tired gantry cranes, and six automated rail-mounted gantry cranes. 

Once fully operational, the port's Terminal 1 will handle two million twenty-foot equivalent units annually, supported by 3.5 kilometers of quay walls, an 18.5-meter-deep marine basin, and an expanded port channel. Its general cargo areas will be upgraded to manage increasing project cargo volumes, with a projected capacity to handle 20 million freight tons of general cargo and bulk by next year.

A call for continued Saudi-China collaboration

As Saudi Arabia and China continue to shape the future of industry, Oxagon is committed to staying at the forefront of this vision. The success of the Port of Neom shows what's possible when two countries come together to push the boundaries of what industrial cities can achieve. 

But this is just the beginning. By continuing to strengthen partnerships with companies like ZPMC and Neom, Saudi Arabia and China can set a global standard for industrial collaboration. Together, we can build not just the future of Oxagon, but the future of global manufacturing -- one that is cleaner, more innovative, and more sustainable than ever before.

(The author is Howard Wu, executive director of international investments and manufacturing at Oxagon)

Editor: Futura Costaglione