China Planning 'Major' Reforms Ahead of Key Political Meeting

Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives for a ceremony in Beijing marking the 70th anniversary of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence /AFP
Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives for a ceremony in Beijing marking the 70th anniversary of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence /AFP
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China Planning 'Major' Reforms Ahead of Key Political Meeting

Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives for a ceremony in Beijing marking the 70th anniversary of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence /AFP
Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives for a ceremony in Beijing marking the 70th anniversary of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence /AFP

Chinese President Xi Jinping said Friday the ruling Communist Party was planning and implementing "major" reforms, ahead of a closely watched political conclave that is expected to put economic recovery high on the agenda.

Chinese policymakers have struggled to reignite growth since the end of strict Covid-19 pandemic health curbs in late 2022.

The world's second-largest economy is beset by a debt crisis in the property sector, persistently low consumption and high youth unemployment, according to Reuters.

Xi said in a speech on Friday policymakers "are planning and implementing major measures to further deepen reform in a comprehensive manner".

"We will... form a more market-oriented, legal and international business environment," he said.

"China's door will only open wider and wider, and will never be closed."

Xi has touted the promise of significant reform several times this year and the government has already enacted measures in key sectors such as real estate to try to address critical issues.

It was announced on Thursday that the delayed Third Plenum -- a meeting historically watched for signals on economic policy direction -- will take place in Beijing in mid-July.

The key meeting of top officials, originally expected last autumn, is highly anticipated in the hopes it might resolve the uncertainty that has weighed on China's economy.

The People's Bank of China (PBOC), the country's central bank, pledged later on Friday to "promote the implementation of the financial policies and measures already issued, and push for the stable and healthy development of the real estate market".

"(We will)... promote the accelerated construction of a new model for real estate development," the PBOC said in a statement.

Xi's address at Beijing's opulent Great Hall of the People, delivered in front of a high-profile international audience, marked the 70th anniversary of some of China's foundational diplomatic tenets.

The Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence include mutual respect for territorial integrity, mutual non-aggression, mutual non-interference in internal affairs, equality and cooperation for mutual benefit, and peaceful coexistence.

Xi hailed China as a force for global peace, saying in his speech Beijing would continue to play "constructive roles" in international conflicts such as Gaza and Ukraine.

China has been criticized by Ukraine's allies for failing to condemn Russia's 2022 invasion and accused of favouring Moscow. Beijing insists it is a neutral party.

In the Middle East, China has advocated for decades for a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict.

Xi called for greater cooperation between China and developing countries in his speech.

"Engaging in small yard, high-wall decoupling practices is to move against the tide of history," Xi said.

"It will only harm the common interests of the international community."



GE Vernova Rolls Out First H-Class Gas Turbine in Saudi Arabia

In the presence of Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, Minister of Energy, GE Vernova Inc. announced the successful rollout of the first H-class gas turbine unit completed at the GE Saudi Advanced Turbines (GESAT) facility in Dammam. Image courtesy: GE Vernova
In the presence of Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, Minister of Energy, GE Vernova Inc. announced the successful rollout of the first H-class gas turbine unit completed at the GE Saudi Advanced Turbines (GESAT) facility in Dammam. Image courtesy: GE Vernova
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GE Vernova Rolls Out First H-Class Gas Turbine in Saudi Arabia

In the presence of Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, Minister of Energy, GE Vernova Inc. announced the successful rollout of the first H-class gas turbine unit completed at the GE Saudi Advanced Turbines (GESAT) facility in Dammam. Image courtesy: GE Vernova
In the presence of Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, Minister of Energy, GE Vernova Inc. announced the successful rollout of the first H-class gas turbine unit completed at the GE Saudi Advanced Turbines (GESAT) facility in Dammam. Image courtesy: GE Vernova

In the presence of Saudi Minister of Energy Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, GE Vernova Inc. has announced the successful rollout of the first H-class gas turbine unit completed at the GE Saudi Advanced Turbines (GESAT) facility in Dammam in an official ceremony held at GESAT.

GESAT, a joint investment with Dussur, is the first facility in Saudi Arabia and the region to manufacture H-Class gas turbines and components.

The first locally completed H-Class unit is set to power the Jafurah Cogeneration Independent Steam and Power Plant (ISPP), which once operational is anticipated to be the most efficient power plant in Saudi Arabia.

By 2030, the entire Jafurah gas field is expected to produce up to 630,000 barrels of natural gas liquids and condensates, as well as over 420 million standard cubic feet (MMSCFD) of ethane per day.

The successful rollout of the locally completed gas turbine at GESAT is a significant milestone in the Kingdom’s energy sector and contributes to Saudi Arabia’s economic diversification and local skills development initiatives, in alignment with Saudi Vision 2030 goals.

The rollout underscores GE Vernova’s commitment to bringing cutting-edge technology products to support both the Kingdom’s energy needs and its sustainability goals.

President of GE Vernova in Saudi Arabia Hisham Al-Bahkali said: “We are incredibly proud of GESAT’s accomplishments in driving industrial localization within the Kingdom’s energy sector in support of Saudi Vision 2030.”

He added: “GESAT strengthens ‘Made in Saudi’ capabilities and, since 2018, has exported 200+ accessory modules for power plants generating more than 11 GW.”

Renowned for their high efficiency and performance, GE Vernova’s H-class gas turbines offer one of the most cost-effective conversions of natural gas to electricity in their class, and support flexible power generation needs across the Middle East.

“The high efficiency and hydrogen readiness of our H-class turbines can support the country’s energy transition, as the turbines can rapidly ramp up or down to support grid stability as more intermittent renewables are integrated into the energy system,” said Joseph Anis, president and CEO of GE Vernova’s Gas Power business in Europe, Middle East and Africa.

To further support the Kingdom’s economic diversification and export capabilities, GE Vernova also signed an MoU with Saudi EXIM that aims at enabling the export of goods and services of GE Vernova from Saudi Arabia through lending and insurance support from Saudi EXIM Bank.

Since inception, GESAT has been set up to deliver technology products for export from the Kingdom, and this MoU aims to further enable export projects. The signing was done by Eng. Saad Alkhalb, CEO of Saudi Exim Bank, and Hisham Al Bahkali, President of GE Vernova for Saudi Arabia.

GE Vernova spun-off from GE and began trading as an independent company on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on April 2, 2024. With approximately 55,000 wind turbines and 7,000 gas turbines, GE Vernova's technology helps generate about 25% of the world's electricity and has a meaningful role to play in the energy transition.