STORY: China's combat against desertification successful: senior Saudi official
SHOOTING DATE: Dec. 4, 2024
DATELINE: Dec. 13, 2024
LENGTH: 00:00:55
LOCATION: Riyadh
CATEGORY: ENVIRONMENT

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the conference 
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): OSAMA FAQEEHA, First deputy minister for environment at Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture
3. various of the conference
4. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): OSAMA FAQEEHA, First deputy minister for environment at Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture

STORYLINE:

A senior Saudi official lauded China's efforts to combat desertification on the sidelines of the 16th session of the Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification.

SOUNDBITE 1 (English): OSAMA FAQEEHA, First deputy minister for environment at Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture
"We have witnessed China has very large projects to combat desertification that are very successful, and we commend China for that."

Calling China a "strategic partner," the official also noted "a lot of opportunities" for cooperation between China and Saudi Arabia, as well as many other countries.

SOUNDBITE 2 (English): OSAMA FAQEEHA, First deputy minister for environment at Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture
"Our national center for waste management is engaging Chinese companies to explore collaboration opportunities. There is also an opportunity in forest management because China has a lot of forests. So we can also have collaboration into that.
And China can be a strategic partner, not only working in Saudi Arabia, but working with the whole member countries of the Middle East Green Initiative. And this includes countries in Central Asia, West Asia, North Africa and Sub-Sahara Africa."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Riyadh.
(XHTV)