MUSCAT: Oman hopes to revive its tourism sector and boost its digital economy under stepped-up cooperation with China.
Oman, a member of the League of Arab States, has said it is opening all its economic sectors to Chinese investment. Apart from tourism and information technology, the Middle Eastern nation has identified human resources as another area with scope for greater engagement with China.
Norafidah Ismail, a lecturer at the School of International Studies at Universiti Utara Malaysia, said cooperation on the digital economy between China and Oman “is imperative and urgent”.
“The call of Chinese Foreign Minister (Wang Yi) on Oman to jointly work (on) China-Arab data security cooperation is practical,” Ismail said. “One of the many reasons, according to the foreign minister, is to highlight the importance of developing countries during the rule formulation regarding global digital economy.”
During a visit last month, Wang said he hoped to see the joint implementation of the Initiative on China-Arab Data Security Cooperation. The pact would “help raise the voice of developing countries” in this field, he said.
China and the 22-member League of Arab States signed the agreement on March 29, a landmark move aimed at upgrading their digital ties and building on collaboration against cyber threats while promoting technological development.
Besides virtual connectivity, China and Oman have agreed to do away with visas for travelers from the two countries, with the partnership also leading to agreements related to culture, media and health.
Dubai-based Froilan Malit Jr, a Middle East migration specialist from the University of Cambridge in England, said the visa-free arrangements between China and Oman “reflect their deepening interstate diplomatic relations”.
As most Persian Gulf countries have increasingly liberalized their immigration policies, “Oman’s response is not an outlier”, Malit said. “It reflects Oman’s strategic attempt to encourage more immigration (and) tourism.”
– The Daily Mail-China Daily News exchange item
