At the opening ceremony of the 10th Ministerial Meeting of the China-Arab States Co-operation Forum, Chinese President Xi Jinping touched upon the co-operation between China and the Arab states as well as the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
The Chinese president stated that the friendship between the Chinese and Arab peoples was deeply rooted in “our friendly exchanges on the ancient Silk Road.” According to CGTN.
China is satisfied with the progress we have made in delivering on the Summit’s outcomes.
The country plans to work with the Arab side as “good partners” to make the relationship a model for maintaining world peace and stability. Xi Jinping also noted the need to respect the purposes and principles of the UN Charter.
China will work with the Arab side in the spirit of equality and mutual benefit to make our relations a fine example of high-quality Belt and Road co-operation.
The President pledged to strengthen co-operation in key areas, such as oil, gas, trade, and infrastructure. He also emphasised the importance of developing artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, investment, and new energy.
Xi Jinping pointed out that trade and energy co-operation had reached new heights.
Co-operation in areas such as food security, green innovation and health is deepening and getting more substantial.
Five co-operation frameworks
He noted that China was willing to work with the Arab side to establish “five co-operation frameworks” to accelerate the construction of a China-Arab community. The first is a more dynamic framework for innovation. For this, Beijing is going to build 10 joint laboratories with the Arab side in areas, such as life and health, artificial intelligence, green and low-carbon development, and others.
The second is an expanded framework for investment and financial co-operation. The countries are going to set up an industrial and investment co-operation forum, and further expand the China-Arab interbank association. China is also willing to deepen exchanges and co-operation on central bank digital currency with the Arab party.
The third issue at the China-Arab States Co-operation Forum was energy co-operation. The fourth was a more balanced framework for mutually beneficial economic and trade ties.
China will continue to implement vigorously the development co-operation projects with a total worth of 3 billion yuan. It stands ready to accelerate the negotiations on bilateral and regional free trade agreements and advance the dialogue mechanism for e-commerce co-operation.
The fifth framework was a broader basis for people-to-people exchanges. China will invite 200 Arab political party leaders to visit China each year. The authorities plan to work with the Arab party to achieve the goal of 10 million bilateral tourist visits in the next five years.
Israel-Hamas war
The Middle East is a land bestowed with broad prospects for development, but the war is still raging on it.
Since last October, the Palestinian-Israeli conflict had escalated dramatically, “throwing the people into tremendous suffering,” Xi Jinping stated. He also supported the establishment of a Palestinian state.
Commitment to the two-state solution should not be wavered at will. China firmly supports the establishment of an independent State of Palestine that enjoys full sovereignty based on the 1967 borders and with East Jerusalem as its capital. It supports Palestine’s full membership in the UN, and supports a more broad-based, authoritative and effective international peace conference.
In addition to the previous 100 million yuan of emergency humanitarian aid, China also pledged an additional 500 million yuan of aid “to help ease the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and support post-conflict reconstruction.”
We will donate $3 million to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East in support of its emergency humanitarian assistance to Gaza.
The president pledged to continue working with Arab partners to “carry forward the spirit of China-Arab friendship.”
