7th China-Arab States Expo kicks off in Yinchuan

The 7th China-Arab States Expo opened in Yinchuan city of northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region on Thursday, showcasing attractive products and advanced innovations from participating regions.

This year's event, running from Thursday to Sunday, has drawn more than 7,600 guests from 75 countries and regions, along with over 2,200 business associations and enterprises.

Attendees include delegations from 22 Arab nations, as well as representatives from 31 Chinese provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions.

The broad participation highlights the expo's growing role as a key platform for fostering cooperation among Arab countries, China, and the wider world.

"It's important to strengthen cooperation between Arab countries and China. China's new energy has many advantages globally, such as in price. Over 90 percent of new energy products in the Middle East come from China. We will make full use of this expo to tighten the collaborative relations between two sides," said Jamil Saif, head of Yiwu Arab Chamber of Commerce.

Cutting-edge technnologies and applications, especially in the digital economy, AI, and clean energy will be highlighted at the expo. Meanwhile, key outcomes in trade as well as cooperation in applicable technology and water conservation will be unveiled.

Under the theme, "Innovation, Green Development and Prosperity", the expo features trade and investment promotion activities under the Belt and Road Initiative, more than 40 sector-specific exchange events, an e-commerce cooperation conference, and multiple business matchmaking sessions.

The host region of Ningxia has collaborated with east China's Fujian Province to hold a cooperative brand exhibition at this year's event. It is also the first time that Xizang Autonomous Region and Macao Special Administrative Region are participating.

"During the four days of the China-Arab States Expo, we will conduct livestream promotions in each exhibition hall in order to sell Ningxia's premium agricultural products to viewers both across China and in the Middle East," said Ji Guang, an exhibitor from the region.

This year's expo has also introduced the China-Arab States Bank Consortium for the first time, as well as the first-ever Silk Road E-Commerce Innovation and Development Conference.

China's outstanding aggregate social financing -- the total amount of financing to the real economy -- reached 442.12 trillion yuan (about 63.4 trillion U.S. dollars) as of the end of 2025, up 8.3 percent year on year, central bank data showed on Thursday.

The country's aggregate social financing stood at 35.6 trillion yuan (about 5.1 trillion U.S. dollars) in 2025, up by 3.34 trillion yuan (about 479 billion U.S. dollars) from the year 2024, said the People's Bank of China (PBOC), the country's central bank.

According to the data, the M2, a broad measure of money supply that covers cash in circulation and all deposits, increased 8.5 percent year on year to 340.29 trillion yuan (about 48.8 trillion U.S. dollars) as of the end of December.

In addition, outstanding yuan loans stood at 271.91 trillion yuan (about 39 trillion U.S. dollars) at the end of 2025, up 6.4 percent year on year.