Saudi Arabia Evaluates 300 Projects for Potential Privatization

 The Saudi Minister of Finance met with Korean officials in Seoul to review the progress of ongoing projects in the Kingdom. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The Saudi Minister of Finance met with Korean officials in Seoul to review the progress of ongoing projects in the Kingdom. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Saudi Arabia Evaluates 300 Projects for Potential Privatization

 The Saudi Minister of Finance met with Korean officials in Seoul to review the progress of ongoing projects in the Kingdom. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The Saudi Minister of Finance met with Korean officials in Seoul to review the progress of ongoing projects in the Kingdom. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

As South Korea recently announced its intention to encourage its companies to enter the Saudi market and seize the available opportunities, Saudi Minister of Finance Mohammed Al-Jadaan met on Wednesday in Seoul, with a consortium of South Korean companies, in the presence of Wong Hee-ryong, Korean Minister of Lands, Infrastructure and Transportation.

The Minister of Finance noted that the Kingdom’s privatization program was moving at an accelerated pace, and currently covered 200 projects in 17 sectors, with investments exceeding $50 billion.

He also unveiled ongoing work to evaluate 300 projects within the privatization program, pointing that Saudi Arabia has far completed 30 projects over the past five years.

Al-Jadaan went on to say that his country has adopted a modern framework for privatization and partnership projects between the public and private sectors, based on international best practices.

Those projects provide promising opportunities for Korean investors and suppliers, he noted, adding that the Kingdom was happy to welcome Korean investments, in a way to pushes bilateral relations forward.

Al-Jadaan also met Wednesday with the Korean Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance, Choo Kyung-ho.

During the meeting, the two sides reviewed bilateral economic relations and discussed the developments of the global economy, including the ongoing challenges faced by many low-income countries, such as high inflation rates, rising lending costs, and food insecurity.

Talks during the meeting also touched on international financial issues, and the need to increase efforts to accelerate the Common Framework initiative, launched during the Kingdom’s G20 Presidency in 2020.

Al-Jadaan highlighted the progress made under Vision 2030 in the implementation of economic reforms and wide-ranging partnership projects between the public and private sectors.

The Saudi minister held a separate meeting with the Chairman and President of the Export-Import Bank of Korea, Hee-Sung Yoon. The two officials discussed the opportunities to enhance cooperation in common fields, in a way that contributes to raising the level of investment and trade between the two countries.

Al-Jadaan also provided an overview of the recent economic developments in the Kingdom, highlighting the positive outlook of the Saudi economy and the favorable investment opportunities.



China Retaliates to EU Ban with Import Restrictions on Medical Devices

People walk along Qianmen promenade in Beijing on July 5, 2025. (Photo by Adek BERRY / AFP)
People walk along Qianmen promenade in Beijing on July 5, 2025. (Photo by Adek BERRY / AFP)
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China Retaliates to EU Ban with Import Restrictions on Medical Devices

People walk along Qianmen promenade in Beijing on July 5, 2025. (Photo by Adek BERRY / AFP)
People walk along Qianmen promenade in Beijing on July 5, 2025. (Photo by Adek BERRY / AFP)

China's finance ministry said on Sunday it was restricting government purchases of medical devices from the European Union that exceed 45 million yuan ($6.3 million) in value, in retaliation to Brussels' own curbs last month.

Tensions between Beijing and Brussels have been rising, with the European Union imposing tariffs on China-built electric vehicles and Beijing slapping duties on imported brandy from the bloc.

The European Union said last month it was barring Chinese companies from participating in EU public tenders for medical devices worth 60 billion euros ($70 billion) or more per year after concluding that EU firms were not given fair access in China.

The measure announced by the European Commission was the first under the EU's International Procurement Instrument, which entered into force in 2022 and is designed to ensure reciprocal market access.

China's countermeasures were expected after its commerce ministry flagged "necessary steps" against the EU move late last month.

"Regrettably, despite China's goodwill and sincerity, the EU has insisted on going its own way, taking restrictive measures and building new protectionist barriers," Reuters quoted the commerce ministry as saying in a separate statement on Sunday.

"Therefore, China has no choice but to adopt reciprocal restrictive measures."
The EU delegation office in Beijing did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

China will also restrict imports of medical devices from other countries that contain EU-made components worth more than 50% of the contract value, the finance ministry said. The measures come into force on Sunday.

The commerce ministry said products from European companies in China were not affected.

The world's second- and third-largest economies are due to hold a leaders' summit in China later in July.