Saudi Arabia: Saudi Arabia and China on Wednesday signed an agreement to enhance cooperation across multiple cultural sectors during a visit to Beijing by the Kingdom’s culture minister.

Prince Badr bin Abdullah signed a memorandum of understanding with Chinese Minister of Culture and Tourism Sun Yeli after talks on increasing collaboration between the two sides.

The deal seeks to increase cooperation in the areas of museums, cultural heritage, theater and performing arts, visual arts, architecture and design arts, libraries, and traditional and craft arts.

The two sides agreed to exchange regulations and policies and take part in each other’s festivals and other cultural events.

The deal also involves artistic residency programs between government and private institutions as well as sharing expertise and organizing cultural activities.

The Saudi Ministry of Culture is keen to promote international exchanges as one of its strategic goals under the Vision 2030 initiative, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

During the meeting, Prince Badr congratulated Sun on his appointment as minister of culture and tourism in December and hailed the existing ties between the two countries.

He also invited Sun to visit the Kingdom to see its many cultural treasures and learn about its heritage and people.

During the visit, Saudi Arabia was chosen to be guest of honor at this year’s Beijing International Book Fair in June, at which the Ministry of Culture will be represented by the Literature, Publishing and Translation Commission.

“With the support of the leadership of the two friendly countries, Saudi-Chinese cultural cooperation begins a new chapter with several agreements,” Prince Badr said on X.

“I was pleased to sign a memorandum of understanding between the Saudi Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of China to promote cultural cooperation, (and witness the signing of a) cooperation agreement for the Film Commission with the Chinese film group Bona.”