SOEs also winners at 2022 FIFA World Cup

China's State-owned enterprises weren't on the pitch, but they scored a lot of points at the recently concluded FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.

The infrastructure and utility projects those companies built at one of the world's top sporting events have earned the gratitude of appreciative officials and fans and the notice of potential clients.

For instance, Lusail Stadium, where the dramatic final soccer match was played between Argentina and France, was jointly built by Qatari construction companies and Beijing-headquartered China Railway Construction Corp. It was the first time a Chinese company helped build a World Cup venue. The stadium, the largest built for the event, is also featured on a Qatari banknote.

"The successful construction of the stadium is another important milestone in the overseas development path of our group," said Zhuo Lei, president of China Railway Construction International Group Co Ltd, a CRCC subsidiary.

He called Qatar an important part of the Belt and Road Initiative, and Lusail Stadium, some 20 kilometers north of Qatar's capital, Doha, an achievement that will help expand cooperation with countries and regions that participate in the BRI.

China's SOEs also took part in the construction of other stadiums in Qatar for the World Cup.

Shanghai Construction Group and Nanjing Iron & Steel United Co Ltd provided construction and the steel structure for the Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan, Qatar.

Also, the Al Kharsaah 800-megawatt photovoltaic plant designed and built by Power Construction Corp of China, or PowerChina, went into operation in mid-October, boosting Qatar's commitment to host a green World Cup.

The plant, stretching about 10 square kilometers, has around 2 million solar panels to turn the region's photothermal advantages into electricity.

The project, started in July 2020, was undertaken by a joint venture formed by three Chinese companies, which were mainly responsible for installing photovoltaic brackets and components, as well as building step-up transmission substations and grid connection stations.

With a total investment of $417 million, it is the first nonfossil power station in the country, which is endowed with abundant petroleum and natural gas.

With Qatar's first large-scale ground solar power plant connected to the grid at full capacity, the Al Kharsaah project can meet 10 percent of the country's peak electricity demand, said Li Jun, PowerChina's onsite manager for the project.

"All the photovoltaic parts are made in China, accounting for more than 60 percent of the total project investment, further enhancing the market share of Chinese companies in the Middle East," he said.

Lin Jiang, a professor of economics at Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, said the products, services and infrastructure projects Chinese companies delivered for the World Cup demonstrate the country's industrial advantages in many areas, including the production of photovoltaic equipment, steel structures, green building materials and lighting products.