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Chinese Manufacturers Expand Desalination and Water Technology Supplies Across the Gulf

Chinese industrial manufacturers are increasing supply agreements for freshwater infrastructure and desalination systems in the Gulf, primarily in the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Gulf utilities including ACWA Power plan to allocate at least $15 billion annually over three years to Chinese suppliers.

Technician in blue uniform testing water at an industrial desalination and filtration plant
Photo: Free Malaysia Today

Chinese industrial manufacturers are accelerating supply deals for freshwater infrastructure and advanced desalination systems across the Gulf, focusing primarily on the UAE and Saudi Arabia, according to Free Malaysia Today.

China's exports of water purifying and filtering equipment exceeded $2 billion in 2025, representing a 25 percent increase from $1.6 billion in 2020.

Major Gulf utility developers, including ACWA Power, are planning to allocate at least $15 billion per year over the next three years to Chinese equipment suppliers.

Chinese manufacturers including Vontron Technology and PowerChina are delivering tens of thousands of reverse-osmosis membranes and engineering large-scale municipal water treatment projects, reflecting technological alignment between clean-tech producers in China and utility authorities in the Middle East.

Sources

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