This year, Saudi Arabia has launched multiple large-scale infrastructure and environmental projects, which is an excellent springboard for China's technology to go global, "said Chen Feng. His company's new water treatment system has received many inquiries from local authorities, and exhibitions are the most efficient way to meet decision-makers face-to-face.

Like Chen Feng, more and more Chinese entrepreneurs are turning their attention to Saudi Arabia. In the context of the deep connection between the the Belt and Road Initiative and Saudi Arabia's "Vision 2030", the schedule of key industry exhibitions in Riyadh in 2026 has become an attractive "business map".

At the beginning of the year, two major exhibitions locked in opportunities for infrastructure and environmental protection

At the beginning of the new year, the exhibition industry in Riyadh has kicked off. From January 18th to 21st, 2026, the first phase of Saudi Arabia's five major industry exhibitions will be held at the Riyadh Frontier Exhibition Center.

This exhibition covers the fields of building materials, construction machinery, air conditioning and refrigeration, cleaning equipment, etc. It is the first comprehensive industrial event at the beginning of the year.

Following closely behind, the Saudi International Environmental Expo will also be held at the center from January 26th to 28th, focusing on water treatment, waste management, and environmental technology.

These two exhibitions jointly set the tone for the new year: infrastructure construction and green transformation are the two major engines of Saudi Arabia's current economic development. For Chinese enterprises, this means opportunities for full industry chain cooperation from building materials to environmental protection technology.

Diversified layout from national defense security to technological innovation

Entering February, the world's top defense exhibition will be held in Riyadh from February 8th to 12th, bringing together international military enterprises in the fields of land systems, aerospace, naval equipment, and cybersecurity.

This is a professional high-end platform in the field of national defense and security, providing a rare international cooperation window for Chinese military and security technology enterprises.

Double exhibitions will be held in April. The Saudi Plastics and Petrochemicals Exhibition will be held from April 12th to 15th at the Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Center, relying on Saudi Arabia's abundant petrochemical resources and focusing on the core needs of the upstream and downstream of the industrial chain.

The Saudi Science and Technology Exhibition (LEAP) held at the same time is a benchmark exhibition in the technology field in the Middle East, focusing on cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence, cloud computing, big data, and the Internet of Things, attracting global technology giants and innovative enterprises.

The Saudi International Auto Parts Exhibition, which focuses on the automotive aftermarket in May, the Saudi Home Lighting and Building Materials Exhibition, which combines home aesthetics in July, the Riyadh Industrial Exhibition, which promotes industrial upgrading in September, and the Saudi International Pharmaceutical Exhibition and Saudi Agriculture Exhibition, which respectively focus on medicine and agriculture in October, cover key areas of Saudi Arabia's economic development throughout the year.

Building practical cooperation bridges on exhibition platforms

Every exhibition provides access to real decision-makers, not just intermediaries, "said a representative of a Chinese building materials company that has been deeply involved in the Saudi market for five years.

These exhibitions are not only a window to showcase products, but also an important channel to understand Saudi Arabia's policy orientation, industry standards, and market demand.

Against the backdrop of Saudi Arabia's vigorous promotion of the "2030 Vision", every field from traditional energy transformation to industrial modernization, from urban construction to digital economy development, holds enormous potential.

Chinese enterprises, with their mature experience and advanced technology in infrastructure, new energy, digital economy and other fields, are highly aligned with Saudi Arabia's economic development needs.

The 2026 Riyadh exhibition calendar is not just a timetable, but more like a carefully drawn roadmap for China Saudi Arabia cooperation. It points not only to business opportunities, but also to the future of mutual benefit, win-win results and common development between the two countries under the framework of jointly building the the Belt and Road.Editor/Yang Meiling