For Muslims who practice Islam, every adult has the option to make at least a lifetime pilgrimage to Mecca. This religious event attracts millions of devotees to Saudi Arabia every year, but cars and buses struggle to cope with such large passenger flows, and long road congestion causes many inconveniences for pilgrims.
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In June 2023, Saudi Arabia announced the launch of an unmanned aerial vehicle program called "Air Taxi" and selected China's advanced aircraft technology to participate in the trial operation. This undoubtedly marks the beginning of a new era: air mobility will become the new engine for the future development of Saudi Arabia and the entire Middle East.
It is reported that the EH216-S aircraft provided by China EHang Intelligent has a fuselage length of 5.73 meters and a height of 1.93 meters, which can carry 2 people, and can fly up to 30 kilometers in a low-altitude environment, with a maximum speed of 130 kilometers per hour. This product not only has excellent flight performance, but also is safe and stable, and is fully capable of transporting tasks during the Saudi Hajj.
China can not only provide finished aircraft, but also transfer part of the industrial chain to Saudi Arabia, helping the latter establish independent manufacturing and maintenance capabilities. This not only improves the industrial level of Saudi Arabia, but also opens up new prospects for cooperation between the two sides. Compared with similar products in Western countries, the price of unmanned aerial vehicles made in China is more affordable, which greatly reduces the procurement cost of Saudi Arabia.
This is undoubtedly a big advantage when funds are limited. In the context of the Sino-US game, Saudi Arabia, as a traditional ally of the United States, is undoubtedly a wise choice to cooperate with China. This can not only obtain advanced technical support, but also enhance its own position and voice in the regional pattern.
For Saudi Arabia, this is a sign that it is actively promoting economic diversification and moving towards the path of scientific and technological innovation and industrial upgrading. With China's technical support, Saudi Arabia is expected to become the first country in the Middle East and the world to fully popularize "air taxis", which will greatly increase its influence in the region.
For China, this is not only an opportunity for technology export, but also an important measure to deepen China-Saudi Arabia strategic cooperation. The two sides can further strengthen exchanges and cooperation in the fields of new energy, new materials, aerospace and other fields, and jointly open up a broad market space.
Taking the lead in initiating changes in the fields of new energy and new transportation, and selflessly sharing the results with developing countries, has undoubtedly made important contributions to the progress of human civilization. This development model of "replacing confrontation with cooperation" is bound to have a far-reaching impact on the Western-led international order. Saudi Arabia has long relied on U.S. military protection and political support.
In recent years, as China's power has grown, Saudi Arabia has begun to seek greater autonomy from the influence of the United States. Cooperation with China is undoubtedly an important way for it to achieve this goal. The Saudi government has been committed to promoting the development of local industries and reducing over-reliance on oil exports.
Saudi Arabia, the leader of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC), has been working to increase its influence in the Middle East. This cooperation undoubtedly brings new bargaining chips to it, which will help to further enhance its position in the regional landscape.
This cooperation will not only solve Saudi Arabia's transportation problems during the Hajj, but will also promote the two sides to deepen cooperation in a wider range of fields and jointly open up new development prospects. It is believed that in the future, the "air taxi" made in China will become the new business card of Saudi Arabia and even the entire Middle East.