Feature: Chinese technology contributes to Saudi Arabia's modernization

In shopping malls, supermarkets and international fashion stores in Saudi Arabia, numerous products are labeled "Made in China," while at common homes, a lot of household ornaments and supplies, even Arab robes and hijabs, are also from China.

But Chinese presence in the Middle East country goes beyond that.

Chinese automobile brands such as Geely, BYD and Chery are running on Saudi roads, and a giant billboard ad for Huawei stands on the way from Riyadh city center to King Khalid International Airport, demonstrating the popularity of the Chinese technology giant in the country.

Most notably, Chinese companies have utilized advanced technology to build livelihood projects for the Saudi people, which not only have brought convenience to locals, but also contribute to the development of the country's modernization.

MECCA LIGHT-RAIL BENEFIT PILGRIMS

Each year more than 3 million Muslim pilgrims from across the world come to the holy city of Mecca for Hajj rituals. They often walk or drive between the holy sites, causing huge traffic pressure and increasing the likelihood of stampedes. Walking in crowds in high temperatures may also lead to heat strokes.

To mitigate the situation, the Saudi government decided to build a light railway to connect the holy sites, and in February 2009, China Railway Construction Co., Ltd. (CRCC) signed a contract with the Saudi side.

The 18-km light railway needs to meet the challenges of dense crowd and extreme environment such as high temperatures and dust.

Such a project would usually take three years to complete in China, but in order to benefit pilgrims at the earliest date, CRCC employees, from top to bottom, worked overtime and took only 16 months to finish it.

During the Hajj in 2010, Muslim pilgrims from various countries were able to board light-rail trains made in China.

In the following five years when CRCC had served as the carrier, the line was free from any safety accident.

The company also provided massive job opportunities and trained plenty of railway operation management personnel for the country.

TELECOM TECHNOLOGY FUELS DEVELOPMENT

As a country blessed with tremendous reserves of oil, Saudi Arabia is not short of money, but the lack of advanced technology has hindered the country's all-round, balanced development.

When Saudi Arabia was in dire need of technology, Chinese companies such as Huawei were there to support its cause.

Since entering the Saudi market in 1999, Huawei has cooperated with three local telecom operators and rendered advanced, high-quality services for Saudi organizations and individuals, promoting the country's informatization to a higher level.

Thanks to Huawei, the number of mobile users in Saudi Arabia has increased from 36 million in 2008 to 51 million in 2014.

The Chinese company also undertook 90 percent of the signal coverage projects in Saudi Arabia's remote mountainous areas, and met the basic communication needs of 3.5 million population in those regions.

A number of newest technology and products from Huawei have made their debut in the Saudi market, including the TDD-LTE 4G communication network, the 400GIP core network and its customer experience management system.

It is also worth mentioning that Huawei has offered communication support for the annual pilgrimage for consecutive 10 years, providing communication services for 3 million Muslim pilgrims in an area of 180 square meters.

For ordinary Saudi residents, Huawei is a well-known company, which manufactures cellphones and Internet devices that are popular among them.

For Huawei, Saudi Arabia has also become one of its most important foreign markets, as the company now boasts over 1,000 employees in the country and has branches in Riyadh and Dammam and Jeddah. Endi