RIYADH: The Saudi Space Agency has held a number of meetings with Chinese government agencies and businesses to discuss enhanced cooperation and collaborations in the fields of technology, industry and space exploration. Abdullah Al-Swaha, chairman of the board of directors of the Saudi Space Agency, met his counterpart from the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp. and other leading figures from the space sector in Beijing to discuss common interests and explore opportunities for strategic cooperation. A delegation from the Saudi agency also held talks with representatives of the Chinese companies MinoSpace, Galactic Energy, and China Electronics Technology Group Corp. to discuss satellites, the spacecraft industry, and the development of satellite payloads. They also met executives from Galaxy Space, a company that develops and sells communication satellites, and I Space, a business that specializes in the development and manufacture of spaceships, to discuss partnership opportunities in the research and science fields, along with technological cooperation in the space industry. According to the Saudi Press Agency, the agency’s visit to China is the latest initiative in efforts to boost political ties and enhance bilateral relations to further the space exploration agenda. The aim is to learn from Chinese successes in the field so that both nations can mutually benefit from the further development of space industries to the highest international tech standards that are bolstered by innovation, while facilitating efforts in the Kingdom to enhance the transfer of key knowledge, localization, and achieve strategic goals, the SPA added. The Saudi Space Agency has partnered with a number of international agencies and organizations to help enhance the country’s stature in the sector and position itself as a global leader in space exploration and innovation, authorities said, while working to improve its competitiveness by seizing emerging opportunities in a rapidly evolving sector. The status of the organization was last month elevated to that of agency from commission to better align with the country’s ambitious vision for the future of space exploration. In May, Saudi astronauts Ali Al-Qarni and Rayyanah Barnawi joined two Americans on the crew of the Axiom Mission 2, which successfully docked with the International Space Station. After an eight-day stay they returned safely to Earth on a SpaceX Dragon capsule. Barnawi, a scientist, became the first Saudi woman in space.