World Defense Show in Riyadh: 85% of Space Allocated

World Defense Show in Saudi Arabia witnesses broad participation (Asharq Al-Awsat)
World Defense Show in Saudi Arabia witnesses broad participation (Asharq Al-Awsat)
TT
20

World Defense Show in Riyadh: 85% of Space Allocated

World Defense Show in Saudi Arabia witnesses broad participation (Asharq Al-Awsat)
World Defense Show in Saudi Arabia witnesses broad participation (Asharq Al-Awsat)

The World Defense Show, the global defense and security event to be held in Riyadh, has already allocated 85 percent of its space amid a broad international, global, regional, and local participation of defense and security companies.

Sponsored by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz, the event is organized by the General Authority for Military Industries (GAMI) and will include leading global defense companies such as Embraer, General Dynamics, Lockheed Martin, NORINCO, and Rolls Royce.

Several government agencies in the Kingdom, such as the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of National Guard, the Ministry of Interior, the Presidency of State Security, and the General Authority for Military Industries, have confirmed their participation.

GAMI Governor Ahmed al-Ohali indicated that the exhibition provides tremendous opportunities for exhibitors and investors to participate in a market that seeks to localize a vital sector, estimated at billions of dollars in one of the largest economies in the world.

Ohali stressed that the Kingdom welcomes those wishing to establish partnerships with local manufacturers and contribute to the localization of the defense and security industries.

For his part, CEO of World Defense Show Shaun Ormrod announced that with over 800 exhibitors, 30,000 visitors, and 85 military delegations, the World Defense Show would open the local and regional defense industry to partnerships and investments from international defense players.

“This will be the first time the global industry has had such open access to all the opportunities with Saudi defense entities, and we are greatly looking forward to providing the world’s best meeting environment for global industry decision-makers.”

Ormrod stressed that the exhibition’s organizing committee is working to provide an ideal environment to organize meetings between decision-makers in the global defense industry and review the manufacturers’ capabilities and priorities.

The World Defense Show is held every two years and focuses on defense interoperability across air, land, sea, security, and space, which will enable the industry to keep pace with developments across defense and technology.

The speed at which these developments occur compels the industry to cooperate across borders and domain expertise to generate opportunities throughout the defense value chain.

The event has laid the foundations for advancing the defense industry and addressing the challenges of ever-deeper defense systems integration by connecting key defense contacts, primes, SMEs, and buyers.



China Calls for Building up Consensus with US after ‘Candid’ Trade Talks 

Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng leaves Lancaster House, on the second day scheduled for trade talks between the US and China, in London, Britain, June 10, 2025. (Reuters)
Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng leaves Lancaster House, on the second day scheduled for trade talks between the US and China, in London, Britain, June 10, 2025. (Reuters)
TT
20

China Calls for Building up Consensus with US after ‘Candid’ Trade Talks 

Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng leaves Lancaster House, on the second day scheduled for trade talks between the US and China, in London, Britain, June 10, 2025. (Reuters)
Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng leaves Lancaster House, on the second day scheduled for trade talks between the US and China, in London, Britain, June 10, 2025. (Reuters)

China's Vice Premier He Lifeng said China and the United States should strengthen consensus and maintain communication, state news agency Xinhua reported on Wednesday, after the two countries agreed to get a delicate trade truce back on track.

US and Chinese officials, including He, concluded two days of negotiations in London on Tuesday to resolve key trade issues in the two superpowers' bruising tariff war, including on a raft of export control measures that have hobbled global supply chain.

The two sides should use their consultation mechanism to further "build up consensus, reduce misunderstandings and strengthen cooperation", He was quoted as saying by Xinhua, describing the talks as candid and in-depth.

China and the US should safeguard the hard-won outcome from their dialogue, and push for stable and long-term bilateral trade and economic ties, He said.

China's stance on trade issues with the US was clear and consistent, He added, reiterating that China was sincere in trade and economic consultations but had its principles.

Beijing and Washington have, after striking a 90-day truce in Geneva last month, suspended most of the triple-digit tariffs they had heaped on each other's goods. But bilateral ties remain strained over unresolved trade issues, such as China's rare earth export controls and US curbs on chip-related exports.

The London talks took place after a rare phone call between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump on Thursday.

US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who represented the US in London, said the new agreement would remove restrictions on Chinese exports of rare earth minerals and magnets and some of the recent US export restrictions "in a balanced way", without providing further details.

The two negotiating teams would present the framework to their respective presidents for approval, Lutnick said.