Closure of King Khalid Int'l Airport mars Saudi Arabia's political reputation: expert

Closure of King Khalid International Airport as a result of the deadly attack by Yemen's Houthi group stains the political reputation of Saudi Arabia as it disrupts a haul of important events in the country, said a Chinese expert in Beijing on Monday.

The Houthi attacks on the airport have heightened the risk of regional escalation, putting pressure on Saudi Arabia to respond and raising the prospect of deeper involvement by outside powers.

The attacks on a passenger terminal at the airport killed 12 people and injured 309 others, according to Saudi authorities. The Saudi-led coalition vowed a firm response, while U.S. President Donald Trump said that Washington "may" join Saudi Arabia in striking the Houthis.

Li Shaoxian, honorary director of China-Arab States Research Institute at Ningxia University, said the airport is one of Saudi Arabia’s most important airports and serves as a gateway to the Saudi capital. Normally, members of the royal family, including the king and the crown prince, use King Khalid International Airport for their overseas visits, and foreign heads of state also arrive there when visiting.

Thus, the airport is of immense importance, particularly in political terms, he said.

Due to its local climate, the period from October to the end of the year and into the beginning of the following year is generally a golden season in Saudi Arabia, and major state activities are usually scheduled during these three months. After King Khalid International Airport was attacked, it has since been closed, seriously affecting a series of major international conferences in Saudi Arabia, Li said.

"On Sunday, the World Petroleum Council Energy Congress was held in Riyadh (the capital of Saudi Arabia). However, as the international airport was attacked, many executives of major oil companies changed to attend the congress online instead of traveling there in person. So it was seriously affected. Next, toward the end of this month, Saudi Arabia will also host 'Davos in the Desert,' the country's most important international conference for attracting investment. In November, there will also be the United Nations World Data Forum, and toward the end of the year there will be a series of other events, including Asian and global sporting competitions. Therefore, the attack on the airport, especially its closure, has severely affected Saudi Arabia's political reputation, as well as a series of arrangements related to the national development such as its 'Vision 2030'," the expert said.

Closure of King Khalid Int'l Airport mars Saudi Arabia's political reputation: expert

China will cut the value-added tax (VAT) export rebate rate for new energy vehicles (NEVs) to 9 percent from 13 percent and scrap rebates for e-cigarette devices from April 1, 2027, the Ministry of Finance and the State Taxation Administration said on Monday.

Export consumption tax policies for products subject to the tax will remain unchanged, with existing refund and exemption arrangements continuing to apply, the statement said.

The change continues China's optimization of export tax rebate policies. The country scrapped VAT export rebates for photovoltaic products from April 1, 2026, and cut the rebate rate for battery products to 6 percent from 9 percent on the same date, with battery rebates to be eliminated from Jan. 1, 2027.

The move comes as China's NEV sector continues to expand rapidly, with automakers increasingly looking to overseas markets for growth. China is the world's largest market for NEVs, a category covering battery-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles.

China exported 1.05 million vehicles in September, up 61.4 percent year on year, including 571,000 NEVs, more than double the number a year earlier. NEVs accounted for more than half of total vehicle exports for the fourth consecutive month.

The shift is even more pronounced in the domestic market, where NEVs have become the dominant force, making up a record 62 percent of new car sales in September, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers. More broadly, in the first three quarters of 2026, NEV output and sales each reached around 12.5 million units, up 11 percent year on year, with NEVs accounting for more than half of total new car sales.

China to cut NEV export tax rebate rate to 9 pct from April 2027