AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah’s visit to China on Monday presents an opportunity to strengthen economic ties between the two countries, attract more diversified Chinese investment and expand Jordanian exports to the Chinese market, according to a report by the Jordan Strategy Forum (JSF).

 

The forum said that the visit could help move bilateral relations beyond their current focus on trade towards greater investment, production and technology cooperation.

 

In a report titled “Jordanian-Chinese Economic Prospects: Between Trade and Foreign Direct Investment”, the JSF examined China’s growing economic role in the Middle East and prospects for expanding trade and investment ties with Jordan.

 

The report, cited by Al Mamlaka, said that Jordan faces a significant trade imbalance with China, while Chinese investment in the Kingdom remains concentrated in a limited number of economic activities.

 

Chinese exports to Jordan reached approximately $6.29 billion in 2025, compared with $430 million in Jordanian exports to China, resulting in a bilateral trade deficit of about $5.86 billion, according to the report.

 

Jordanian exports to China remain concentrated in a limited range of products, including phosphate, potash, fertilisers, chemicals and copper.

 

The cumulative value of Chinese foreign direct investment in Jordan reached approximately $3.56 billion between 2010 and 2025, the forum said.

 

The figure is lower than Chinese investment in Iraq ($12.19 billion), the UAE ($9.72 billion), Egypt ($8.29 billion), Saudi Arabia ($7.02 billion) and Morocco ($3.93 billion), but the forum described it as a significant Chinese investment presence in Jordan.

 

However, the number of Chinese investment projects in Jordan remains relatively low. Some 71 projects were implemented between 2010 and 2025, compared with 1,227 in the UAE, 540 in Saudi Arabia, 375 in Egypt and 177 in Morocco.

 

Chinese investment in Jordan is also heavily concentrated in the energy sector.

 

Of the $3.56 billion invested during the 2010-2025 period, approximately $3.17 billion, or nearly 89 per cent, went to energy, according to the report. Investment in other sectors was considerably smaller, including about $360 million in consumer products, $19.7 million in automotive, $6.4 million in financial and business services and $4.27 million in information and communications technology.

 

The forum said Jordan’s challenge is not simply to attract more Chinese investment, but to diversify investment and channel it towards activities that strengthen productive capacity, transfer technology and technical know-how, develop local suppliers and create higher-skilled jobs.

 

China’s changing investment priorities

 

The report said that China has become one of the Middle East’s major economic partners. While its engagement with the region was initially driven largely by energy needs, cooperation has expanded into trade, investment, infrastructure, manufacturing, logistics and technology, supported by the Belt and Road Initiative.

 

Chinese exports to Arab economies reached approximately $293.5 billion in 2025, while imports from Arab economies totalled about $201 billion, putting bilateral trade at nearly $495 billion, according to the report.

 

The forum also highlighted a shift in the composition of Chinese overseas investment.

 

While earlier Belt and Road Initiative investments focused heavily on infrastructure and energy, Chinese companies are increasingly investing in renewable energy, electric vehicles and batteries, digital infrastructure, artificial intelligence and advanced manufacturing.

 

The report said the shift could create new opportunities for Jordan, particularly as China places greater emphasis on compliance, governance, sustainability and supply-chain security in overseas investment.

 

The Jordan Strategy Forum outlined several priorities that could help the Kingdom maximise the economic benefits of the King’s visit.

 

The first is to position Jordan as a stable, internationally connected production base for Chinese investors targeting export markets. The forum said the Kingdom’s strategic location, skilled workforce, industrial zones and preferential access to key markets provide a strong foundation for such a role.

 

Another priority is to diversify Chinese investment into sectors aligned with Jordan’s Economic Modernisation Vision, including advanced manufacturing, renewable energy, mining, pharmaceuticals, logistics, ICT and digital services, food industries and tourism.

 

The forum said that priority should be given to projects that establish productive activities in Jordan, create well-paying jobs, strengthen local suppliers, transfer technology and technical expertise, and expand and diversify exports.

 

It also identified renewable energy, electric vehicles and batteries, digital infrastructure, artificial intelligence and advanced manufacturing as areas where Jordan could seek greater cooperation with Chinese companies.

 

The forum recommended pursuing Chinese partnerships in research and development, innovation centres, vocational and technical training, higher education and the commercialisation of entrepreneurial ideas.

 

The JSF proposed establishing a permanent mechanism for economic cooperation and implementation between Jordan and China.

 

The mechanism would bring together relevant government institutions, investment authorities, business organisations and private-sector representatives to monitor agreed projects, address implementation obstacles and identify new areas for cooperation, according to the forum.