RIYADH, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- Saudi Arabia's Diriyah Company expects more investments from China in its flagship Diriyah project, the company's chief marketing officer, Kiran Jay Haslam, said in a recent interview with Xinhua.
Diriyah, or "the City of Earth," is an expansive urban development project in Saudi Arabia that spans an area of 14 square km, with Diriyah Company being its developer.
Expecting more investments from China, Haslam highlighted that "there is an incredible investment opportunity around commercial office space and 22,500 residential homes (under the project). We (will) have over 40 major hotels as part of the master plan, countless museums and culture centers, an arena, an opera house, and a long avenue that connects to the center of Riyadh."
In December 2024, the company awarded a 202.2-million-U.S. dollar contract to China Harbour Engineering Company to undertake the bulk excavation works in Diriyah's second-phase construction.
"We get a lot of construction expertise and technology from China. There's a lot of synergy in terms of the outlook on the project, with a lot of interaction with the Chinese market," Haslam said.
Located a short drive from Riyadh's city center, Diriyah holds historical significance as the birthplace of the kingdom, dating back to 1727, and is considered a key component of the economic diversification plan under the Saudi Vision 2030. ■
