An Exceptional Visit… Let's Get to Work

His Majesty King Abdullah II’s visit to China concluded with a wide package of agreements and memoranda of understanding, which could result in new investments, Jordanian exports, job opportunities, and the transfer of technology and knowledge.

The royal visit came at a time when China has become an extremely important economic partner for Jordan, with bilateral trade volume reaching $6.7 billion during 2025, while Chinese investments in Jordan have exceeded $3 billion, and Jordanian exports have risen by about 80% this year, approaching $300 million. These figures reveal the scale of the economic relationship already in place, as well as the scale of the opportunity available to Jordan to develop it further — especially since the trade relationship still clearly leans in China’s favor.

The agreements signed derive their importance from not being limited to traditional fields, but extending into sectors that could form an important part of the Jordanian economy in the coming years, such as the digital economy and e-commerce, industry and supply chains, energy, agriculture, tourism and civil aviation, and technical and training cooperation.

More important still is the direction these agreements reflect: Jordan is trying to shift its relationship with China from that of an importer to that of a partner capable of attracting a share of Chinese investment, industry, and technology.

The memorandum of understanding related to industry and supply chains may be among the most significant outcomes of the visit if properly capitalized on.

Jordan has free trade agreements that give its products access to major markets, a geographic location close to the Gulf, Iraq, and Syria, and infrastructure along with industrial and development zones that could make it a base for Chinese companies seeking production and export locations outside of China.

The same applies to the digital economy and artificial intelligence, where research and development centers could be established, technology companies attracted, Jordanian universities linked with Chinese research institutions and companies, and Jordanian expertise in software, engineering, and digital technologies put to use.

Agreements related to energy and mineral resources open another avenue, particularly given the Kingdom’s phosphate, potash, and silica resources, along with certain strategic minerals whose importance is growing with the expansion of technology industries and clean energy.

Agricultural agreements likewise help remove some obstacles facing the entry of Jordanian products into the vast Chinese market, while developing air connectivity could serve both tourism and trade.

What is needed today is for the government to prepare a clear implementation program for each agreement and memorandum of understanding, specifying the responsible party, the objective, the timeline, and performance indicators. A unified Jordanian economic team should also be formed to follow up on the visit’s outcomes with the Chinese side, instead of distributing the files among numerous institutions each working separately. This team could issue periodic reports showing which understandings have been converted into actual projects.
It is also important to prepare a specific list of ready investment projects and present them to Chinese companies. An investor does not come to a country simply because a memorandum of understanding has been signed, but rather when they find a clear project, ready land, stable legislation, calculated incentives, and accurate information about the market and expected returns.

A clear target must be set for increasing Jordanian exports to China, identifying the products capable of competing there, and then addressing the obstacles limiting their entry — which would help improve Jordan’s export capacity and reduce the large imbalance in the trade balance.

Knowledge and technology transfer should also be a fundamental condition in future projects. Jordan does not only need Chinese capital, but also the industrial and technological expertise that China possesses, along with training for Jordanian engineers and technicians and integrating local companies into production and supply chains.

If the royal visit has ended, the work has only just begun — His Majesty the King himself affirmed at its conclusion that what is required now is to build on the outcomes of the meetings in Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen, and the agreements that were signed.

The visit has opened wide doors for the Jordanian economy, and follow-up, swift decision-making, and efficient implementation are what will transform these agreements into investments, projects, exports, and jobs.