Zhou Mi, a senior researcher at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation in Beijing, said the expo offers a good platform for companies in the BRI footprint to showcase their latest technologies and products, and seek new opportunities in trade and economic cooperation.

This year's expo is featuring meetings and exhibitions on technologies and products used in healthcare, clean energy, digital economy, and environmentally friendly farming. It has attracted over 1,000 companies that are participating either physically at the event venue or virtually online.

"Arab countries have been important trading partners and major energy suppliers to China. Both sides have strong needs to deepen economic relations and strike agreements on developing mutual interests. Going forward, there will be more fields, including finance, low-carbon development, infrastructure, and transportation, that are likely to see an increase in cooperation,"Zhou said.

"Both sides are also working for mechanisms to guarantee safe and stable economic activities to avoid risks from geopolitical conflicts."