Officials from China National Nuclear Corporation and Saudi Arabia hold talks in Beijing on May 15. [Photo/CNNC]

Wang Shoujun, chairman of China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC), met with Khalid A. Al-Falih, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources, who participated the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, in Beijing on May 15. 

Officials from both sides discussed projects in areas such as uranium resource exploration, nuclear energy collaboration, and human resource management.

He Zixing, vice-president of CNNC; Huang Mingang, chief economist of CNNC; Zohair A. Nawab, director of the Saudi Geological Survey; and Waleed Abulfaraj, vice-president of Saudi Nuclear Energy City, also joined the talks.

Wang reviewed collaborative projects conducted between CNNC and Saudi Arabia over the past few years including those currently in progress. CNNC expects to bring the advantages of its whole industrial chain to the nuclear industry under the construction of the Belt and Road Initiative. 

And based upon previous mutual partnerships, CNNC will work on accelerating cooperative projects including desalination of sea water, uranium detection, and personnel training and management, according to Wang.

Khalid A. Al-Falih expressed his view that collaboration in the nuclear sector has played an essential role in mutual strategic development.