The Saudi Arabian Oil Co, the integrated global petroleum and chemicals enterprise, announced on Tuesday the official opening of Aramco Asia in Beijing, a move that shows the strategic importance of the Asian market to the company.

Aramco Asia, a wholly owned affiliate of Saudi Aramco, will serve as the business and cultural exchange hub between Saudi Aramco and China.

"Our new Asia office in Beijing will be a hub for facilitating our joint activities in general and investment opportunities arising from the capital projects in Saudi Arabia and Asia," said Abdulrahman F. Al-Wuhaib, senior vice-president of its downstream business.