More than 7,000 kilometres from home: how Chinese expats adapt to life in Saudi Arabia

RIYDAH, Saudi Arabia – Saudi Arabia is attracting more foreign residents than ever, with the number of non-Saudi residents climbing to about 15.7 million in 2024 — More than 2 million increase from the year before. 

Most come from South and Southeast Asia and neighbouring Arab countries. But among them are a growing number of Chinese expats, professionals working hard to adapt to life in historically one of the most religious and socially conservative countries in the world.

This January, our reporters visited Riyadh to talk to people from mainland China and Taiwan who have come to the capital city for work, family or new opportunities. We discover how they are navigating daily life, forming connections and carving out a sense of home.

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