On July 3rd, the Vice President, Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai, Mohammed bin Rashid, announced during a cabinet meeting that the UAE has approved its first autonomous driving test permit and awarded it to the globally leading L4 autonomous driving technology company, WeRide（文远知行）. This marks the first national-level autonomous driving test permit in the Middle East and globally.
WeRide Obtains UAE Autonomous Driving Test Permit, Further Expanding Presence in Middle Eastern Transportation Market
WeRide will conduct various road tests and operations of autonomous driving vehicles in the UAE, supporting Dubai's goal of achieving 25% of transportation using autonomous vehicles by 2030. This initiative reflects the UAE's transformation in future mobility and showcases WeRide's significant presence in the Middle East region.
Prior to obtaining the national test permit, WeRide's autonomous taxi, Robotaxi, has been undergoing public testing and operations on certain routes in the UAE for over a year. Furthermore, WeRide has collaborated with the local listed company, Bayanat, to launch a Robotaxi named "TXAI," offering tourists a free experience of autonomous driving car services to Saadiyat Island and Yas Island in Abu Dhabi as a special service during the Eid Al-Adha holiday.
According to information from WeRide's official website, the company has been dedicated to promoting autonomous driving products and services in the Middle East. They established a demonstration park for production capacity cooperation in the UAE in March this year, accelerating the commercialization of autonomous driving. Besides the UAE, WeRide has also made notable achievements in Saudi Arabia. Through a collaboration with Saudi Arabian Company for Artificial Intelligence (SCAI), they successfully launched the first autonomous shuttle demonstration route in Riyadh, the capital city of Saudi Arabia. In the future, WeRide will continue to deepen its presence in the Middle East, delivering high-quality autonomous driving technology, products, and services to more customers and consumers.
Hong Kong Supports Belt and Road Initialtive, Actively Engages in Financial and Technological Cooperation with Saudi Arabia
In February this year, the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Carrie Lam, led a delegation to visit Saudi Arabia, actively promoting economic and trade cooperation and achieving initial results. During the visit of Abdullah Al-Swaha, Minister of Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, 11 mainland Chinese and Hong Kong companies signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with IDG Capital (IDG资本), aiming to enter the Saudi Arabian market and join the Saudi-Chinese Business Council (沙中企业联合会). The Saudi-Chinese Business Council, supported by the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, has attracted more than 100 founding members. It will establish its first Asian office in Hong Kong.
In September this year, Hong Kong will host its annual summit to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative. For the first time, a Middle East forum will be established, providing opportunities for Belt and Road enterprises, investors, and their counterparts from Saudi Arabia and the Middle East to negotiate business. The Saudi-Chinese Business Council (沙中企业联合会) will connect mainland China, Hong Kong, and Saudi Arabia through its Hong Kong office, regularly organizing activities to promote talent exchange, business cooperation, and innovation and technology collaboration.
Jerry Li, Founding Managing Partner of IDG Capital (IDG资本) and Chairman of the Saudi-Chinese Business Council (沙中企业联合会), stated that the goal of the council is to introduce leading financial and technology companies from Hong Kong into the Saudi Arabian market, contributing to the economic diversification of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030, and promoting the listing of Saudi companies on the Saudi and Hong Kong stock exchanges.
It is reported that the 11 companies participating in this signing cover a wide range of industries, including blockchain, robotics, mobile marketing, biotechnology, and artificial intelligence. Among them, XtalPI (晶泰科技) and Insilico Medicine (英矽智能) are planning to go public, while H World Group(华住集团) and CIMC ENRIC (中集安瑞科) have already been listed. The remaining eight companies are located in the Hong Kong Science Park. IDG Capital has already introduced 13 companies in Saudi Arabia, and four of them are preparing for listing.
Childcare E-commerce Platform hibobi Signs Memorandum with Saudi Investment Department, Deepens Expansion in the Middle East Market
EqualOcean Learns that at the recent Arab-China Conference, the Ministry of Investment of Saudi Arabia (MISA) and Chinese childcare e-commerce platform hibobi reached an important cooperation agreement. Both parties signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), aiming to support hibobi's business expansion in the Saudi Arabian market and provide diverse clothing options for local consumers.
hibobi is a globalized childcare brand and cross-border e-commerce company, with a focus on the consumption layout and brand output in the childcare industry, anchored by the Chinese supply chain. The company's business covers the globe, with sales channels primarily through independent brand websites and mobile apps, and it has a strong presence in the Middle East and South America. In less than two years, hibobi has achieved remarkable development, gaining attention and being recognized as a "potential unicorn company" in Hangzhou.
Through the collaboration with hibobi, MISA will be able to introduce more clothing options that cater to the needs of local consumers, bringing a personalized and diversified shopping experience to the immense market of Saudi Arabia. In addition to product introduction, both parties plan to conduct market research, promotional activities, and brand promotion to enhance market competitiveness. Leveraging hibobi's expertise and resources in the e-commerce field, combined with MISA's advantages in the Saudi Arabian market, they aim to jointly create a more prosperous and innovative childcare market, while also generating more employment opportunities and promoting economic development locally.