Interview: Jordanian king's visit to China opens new avenues for practical cooperation, says minister

AMMAN, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- The recent visit by Jordan's King Abdullah II to China opened new avenues for practical cooperation between the two countries across various sectors, Jordanian Minister of Industry, Trade and Supply Yarub Qudah said.

Qudah, who accompanied the king on his August visit to China, said in an exclusive interview with Xinhua that the Jordanian delegation was impressed by the advanced level of the Chinese private sector and economy in various fields, highlighting China's significant focus on technological development and its impact on different sectors, which has given the Chinese economy a strong competitive edge.

China is Jordan's largest source of imports, Qudah said, adding that the next phase should move beyond the traditional import-export model toward joint projects based in Jordan, aimed at serving both regional and global markets.

The minister explained that the two sides signed several agreements and memoranda of understanding during the visit, covering various fields including e-commerce, industry, and energy generation.

Qudah said that there are significant opportunities for Jordanian products in the Chinese market, including Arab food products such as Jordanian dates and olive oil. Driven by Chinese demand, Jordan's fertilizer exports to China have increased, he said.

He said that Jordan is currently forming a comprehensive working group to follow up on the outcomes of King Abdullah II's visit and to identify direct opportunities with the Chinese private sector.

He added that the focus will also be on the fiber optics sector, the automotive manufacturing and assembly sector.

Regarding leveraging Chinese expertise and technology to develop industry, supply chains, and digital transformation, and to enhance Jordanian products in global markets, Qudah stated that Jordan could benefit in three main ways.

According to Qudah, the first is direct Chinese investment in the industrial, energy, and information technology sectors, among others; the second is Chinese companies' contributions to major projects implemented in Jordan; the third involves the transfer of advanced knowledge and technology from China to Jordan's productive sectors.

Jordan plays an important role in regional logistics networks, Qudah said, citing the port of Aqaba as an example.

About 80 percent of the imported goods arriving at the port are not destined for the Jordanian market, he explained, demonstrating Jordan's role as an important regional logistics hub.

Regarding tourism, Qudah affirmed that Jordan is developing the necessary infrastructure to attract Chinese tourists and is working to finalize the integration of Chinese electronic payment systems