On December 5th and 6th, 2023, Wang Shaofeng, Chairman of CSCEC ME, Mansour Faried, Chief Engineer of CSCEC ME, and Sonia Thomas, Senior Planning Manager of Contract & Legal Department, invited to be the guest speakers in the annual Big 5 Global Summit at Dubai World Trade Center to share China State Construction's technology accumulation in the Gulf region and even the world and its outlook on the construction industry.

In the Big 5 Global Leaders session, Wang Shaofeng, participated in the panel discussion with the theme of Looking Ahead: Empowering the Future of Construction Industry. The other speakers were Saeed Al Qatami (CEO of Deyaar), Amer Khansaheb (Managing Director of Union Properties), Waleed Abdel-Fattah (President of Hill International MENA region) and Cynthia Corby (partner of Deloitte).

Wang Shaofeng said that the construction industry is at a critical point of transformation and development, and the Middle East construction market is growing rapidly with fierce competition. CSCEC ME is actively exploring and targeting on construction technology, improving construction quality and efficient performance thanks to the advancement of engineering technology, but also thanks to the Company's strategy of adapting to local conditions. Taking the rapidly growing GCC market for example, innovation is a necessity for contractors. However, in African and South Asian markets, labor force is sufficient, but funds are needed, therefore, traditional construction solutions still work. When talking about the relationship between developers and contractors, Wang Shaofeng believes that cooperation between the two sides requires two important pillars: one is trust, which is key for win-win cooperation; and the other one is the comprehensive development of the supply chain, which is a fundamental support for close cooperation. When talking about the areas of the construction industry that need the most innovation and change, Wang Shaofeng had high hopes for the materials sector, believing that only major changes in the materials sector can promote the construction sector to realize the goals of green carbon reduction and sustainable development. Finally, Wang Shaofeng invited the guests to participate in COP28, a global climate summit and an event that focuses on showcasing the latest green achievements in the construction sector.

Mansour Faried, Chief Engineer of CSCEC ME, said that construction technology can be a fundamental competitive advantage for contractors, and in the face of new industry situations and competitive dynamics, new solutions are needed to solve new problems. The application of new science and technology can allow all partners to participate in the construction, share the benefits and shoulder risks. In the Big 5 Talks session, Sonia Thomas combined her 26 years of working experience to share the challenges encountered in the construction industry during the whole process from tendering to project closure and the solutions summarized by her team.

The Big 5 Global Summit is an annual world-class construction industry summit held in the Middle East. During the four-day summit from December 4-7, more than 2,200 exhibitors from over 150 countries attended the event, and more than 230 industry representatives shared their voices. On the site of the event, there were also representatives from the UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, Dubai Building Regulation & Permits Agency, Sanyi, Siemens, ALEC, Jacobs, El Seif, ROSHN, American Concrete Associate and other politicians, businessmen and social groups attended the summit as well.