Bookmark 03-29-2017

Sabic and Sinopec Sign Strategic Cooperation Agreement

Sabic and Sinopec signed a strategic agreement on March 16 to study opportunities for joint projects in Saudi Arabia and China. The agreement supports the efforts of the two countries to achieve further cooperation.

Under the patronage of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, and President Xi Jinping, President of China, Sabic and Sinopec signed a strategic agreement to study opportunities for joint projects in Saudi Arabia and China (© Sabic)

The agreement, which was signed by Prince Saud bin Abdullah bin Thenayan Al-Saud, President of the Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu and Chairman of Sabic, and Wang Yupu, Chairman of Sinopec, supports Saudi Vision 2030 and China’s Silk Road Economic Belt initiative. It studies joint venture petrochemical projects in China and Saudi Arabia, which target downstream key markets, such as automotive, electronics, lighting, and building and construction, packaging, and medical equipment. The agreement is a boost to Sabic's efforts to achieve its 2025 strategy in line with Saudi 2030 goals.

Under the agreement, the largest Saudi and Chinese petrochemical companies are planning – for the first time – to study a joint venture with Chinese investment in Saudi Arabia. The agreement also seeks to explore opportunities for further investments at the existing joint venture Sinopec Sabic Tianjin Petrochemical Company (SSTPC) that will contribute to industrial development in the two countries, allowing them to manufacture more high-quality products and open the way for expanding integrated cooperation that supports long-term development plans.

Yousef Al-Benyan, Sabic’s Vice Chairman and CEO, said: “This is an opportunity for both parties to build on their historic cooperation. The Chinese market has always been a key pillar of our sales over the last 30 years. Today, we are entering a turning point in our strategic relationship and building on previous successes, such as studying the establishment of a coal-to-chemicals petrochemical complex with China’s Shenhua Ningxia Coal Industry Group.”