NEOM Hosts Leading Industry Figures for its ‘Discover NEOM’ China Showcase

The tour began in Beijing on April 15, and continued in Shanghai on April 17. (SPA)
The tour began in Beijing on April 15, and continued in Shanghai on April 17. (SPA)
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NEOM Hosts Leading Industry Figures for its ‘Discover NEOM’ China Showcase

The tour began in Beijing on April 15, and continued in Shanghai on April 17. (SPA)
The tour began in Beijing on April 15, and continued in Shanghai on April 17. (SPA)

Saudi Arabia’s NEOM kicked off the China leg of its global “Discover NEOM” tour, in Beijing and Shanghai, with over 500 senior business and industry leaders in attendance.

The tour began in Beijing on April 15, and continued in Shanghai on April 17, said NEOM in a statement on Wednesday.

Organized in partnership with CCPIT Beijing and CCPIT Shanghai, the events included a series of presentations by NEOM’s leadership team showcasing on-the-ground progress and milestones to date, as well as details of NEOM’s various economic sectors.

The events highlighted opportunities for Chinese companies to engage and invest in NEOM. A number of companies expressing interest and discussing tangible next steps with NEOM leadership.

The agenda also included a forum that explored the vast number of opportunities available for Chinese construction companies. Over 100 companies participated in the forum and were briefed about the onsite construction progress across NEOM and its regions.

A private showcase, titled “Discover NEOM: A New Future by Design”, was the highlight of the events. It provided guests with an immersive experience that explored THE LINE, the 170-kilometer-long city that will be the future of urban living; Oxagon, which is redefining the traditional industrial model; Trojena, the mountain resort of NEOM, and finally, Sindalah, a luxury island destination in the Red Sea that will be open to the public later this year.

NEOM CEO Nadhmi Al-Nasr said: “We are grateful to CCPIT Beijing and CCPIT Shanghai for supporting our visit to China and for the opportunity to present NEOM’s vision.”

“To date, NEOM has already engaged with over 15 major Chinese businesses and invested in a number of Chinese startups to support the growth and diversification of NEOM. Collaboration with China will continue to play a vital role in the development of NEOM, and we look forward to strengthening our engagement with the country’s business community.”

CCPIT Beijing Chairman Guo Huaigang said that NEOM and Beijing have significant potential for economic cooperation, and that both are accelerating the development of new modes of productivity, deepening comprehensive reforms, promoting scientific and technological innovation, and working to ensure the protection of the environment. He added that CCPIT Beijing looks forward to the role the cooperation can have in Beijing’s future prosperity.

Deputy Secretary General of Shanghai Municipal Government Zhao Zhuping said: “Shanghai greatly values our relationship with Saudi Arabia. Over the years, we have engaged in extensive cooperation in trade, education, culture and more. We look forward to deepening mutually beneficial engagement with NEOM across infrastructure, renewable energy and technological innovation. The benefits and opportunities for this partnership will only continue to grow.”

“Discover NEOM” China is the latest edition of NEOM’s global roadshow; it follows engagements in key international markets, including Seoul, Tokyo, Singapore, New York City, Boston, Washington, D.C., Miami, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Paris, Berlin and London.



Gold Retreats as Dollar Firms; Fed Decision Looms

FILE PHOTO: An employee places ingots of 99.99 percent pure gold in a workroom at the Novosibirsk precious metals refining and manufacturing plant in the Siberian city of Novosibirsk, Russia, September 15, 2023. REUTERS/Alexander Manzyuk/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: An employee places ingots of 99.99 percent pure gold in a workroom at the Novosibirsk precious metals refining and manufacturing plant in the Siberian city of Novosibirsk, Russia, September 15, 2023. REUTERS/Alexander Manzyuk/File Photo
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Gold Retreats as Dollar Firms; Fed Decision Looms

FILE PHOTO: An employee places ingots of 99.99 percent pure gold in a workroom at the Novosibirsk precious metals refining and manufacturing plant in the Siberian city of Novosibirsk, Russia, September 15, 2023. REUTERS/Alexander Manzyuk/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: An employee places ingots of 99.99 percent pure gold in a workroom at the Novosibirsk precious metals refining and manufacturing plant in the Siberian city of Novosibirsk, Russia, September 15, 2023. REUTERS/Alexander Manzyuk/File Photo

Gold prices dipped on Monday, pressured by a firmer US dollar, while investors focused on the Federal Reserve's first meeting of 2025 for more guidance on the interest rate path.

Spot gold dropped 0.7% to $2,751.71 per ounce by 0748 GMT, after trading just below record-high levels on Friday. US gold futures fell 0.8% to $2,756.30.

The dollar gained 0.2%, making gold expensive for other currency holders, Reuters said.

"The US dollar could be the main culprit for gold's weakness... However, the current movement suggests that the downside for the yellow metal is still limited, potentially aided by safe-haven flows," IG market strategist Yeap Jun Rong said.

The US and Colombia pulled back from the brink of a trade war after the White House said the South American nation had agreed to accept military aircraft carrying deported migrants.

Gold is considered a hedge against geopolitical turmoil and inflation. It also tends to thrive in a low interest rate environment as it yields no interest.

Fed policymakers are largely expected to keep rates steady at the end of their Jan. 28-29 meeting, marking the first pause in the rate-cutting cycle that began in September.

"Market focus will likely be on how the Fed reacts to comments from President Trump, who has called for continued interest rate cuts," Reliance Securities' senior analyst Jigar Trivedi said.

Data since the Fed's December meeting has kept intact the core view among Fed officials that inflation will continue to move steadily, if slowly, towards 2%, with a low unemployment rate and continued hiring and economic growth.

COMEX gold speculators raised net long position by 21,864 contracts to 234,358 in the week to Jan. 21, data showed on Friday.

Spot silver dropped 1.3% to $30.20 per ounce, palladium dipped 1.8% to $969.83 and platinum fell 0.9% to $940.40.