Saturday 07 / November / 2026
Muscat: Omani and Chinese officials and business leaders have highlighted the significance of the Oman-China Forum on Prospects for Investment Partnerships in strengthening bilateral economic ties and translating investment opportunities into strategic partnerships and joint projects.
Organised by the Oman Investment Authority (OIA) on the sidelines of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik's state visit to China on November 1 and 2, the forum witnessed the signing of agreements and memoranda of understanding worth nearly OMR1 billion.
The participants stressed the importance of sustained engagement between investors and government institutions, sharing expertise and exploring opportunities across promising economic sectors. They also highlighted Oman's investment incentives, infrastructure and economic diversification initiatives as key factors enhancing its attractiveness to international investors.
Aladdin bin Abdullah Bait Fadhil, CEO of Omantel, said the high-level visit had opened promising opportunities for Omani companies to expand into international markets and strengthen their presence in technology and other economic sectors.
He said the Beijing forum witnessed the signing of 16 agreements and memoranda of understanding by Omani companies. Omantel signed two memoranda, including one with the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology and WPS relating to government digital transformation programmes, and another involving cooperation with the ministry and Huawei to install Ascend neural processing units and host artificial intelligence processors within Oman's national cloud system.
He said the initiatives would support knowledge transfer, localise advanced technologies, strengthen national capabilities and enhance Oman's digital sovereignty.
Guoyong Zhang, Head of Private Equity Investments at China Commercial Bank International, said the forum provided an important platform for exploring new investment opportunities.
He recalled that the bank established a US$300 million investment fund in partnership with OIA in 2020, targeting Chinese companies in renewable energy, advanced manufacturing, technology and innovation.
Building on the fund's positive results, the two sides signed a memorandum of understanding to launch a second investment fund with a target size of US$500 million.
Abdulwahid Mohamed Al Murshidi, CEO of Sohar International, described the Sultan's visit as a significant milestone in bilateral trade and economic relations.
He said the bank signed three memoranda of cooperation with Chinese financial institutions during the forum to strengthen banking relations, expand trade and economic exchanges and create opportunities for cooperation with Asian markets.
He added that Sohar International opened its first representative office in Hong Kong in September to facilitate trade, attract investments from Southeast Asia into Oman and support the entry of Omani products into those markets.
Sheikh Ahmed Suhail Bahwan, Chairman of Bahwan International, said the growing economic relationship between Oman and China offered significant opportunities for strategic partnerships across various sectors.
He noted that the group has investments in the automotive and artificial intelligence sectors and is exploring expansion into other fields, including energy. He also highlighted the opportunities offered by Oman's free zones, investment incentives and legislative framework to foreign companies.
Usama Al Barwani, CEO of Mohammed Al Barwani Group, said the forum enabled Omani private-sector companies to connect with Chinese businesses and explore joint investment projects.
He identified energy, mining and technology as promising areas for expanding cooperation, adding that the group was interested in exploring opportunities in China's technology sector, building on its 20-year partnership with China National Petroleum Corporation in Oman.
Chinese businessman Ali Shan said Oman's political stability, security and strategic geographical location linking the markets of the Middle East, Africa and Europe made it an attractive destination for Chinese investors. He also highlighted the country's government incentives and investor-friendly policies.
Hussein bin Abdullah Al-Haddad, Chairman of United Summit Business Company, said the forum would help strengthen business links and translate shared investment ambitions into practical projects.
He emphasised the need for continued coordination between the public and private sectors in both countries to build on the agreements signed and maximise the economic benefits of bilateral cooperation.
