Xinhua - The China-Arab Cooperation Forum constitutes a driving force for strengthening China-Arab strategic partnership relations, and a comprehensive and effective platform for dialogue and cooperation between China and Arab countries, whose bilateral relations have witnessed a “major leap” since the founding of the forum 20 years ago.
The tenth ministerial meeting of the China-Arab Cooperation Forum is scheduled to be held tomorrow (Thursday) in Beijing, in the presence of Chinese President Xi Jinping and the leaders of Egypt, the Emirates, Bahrain and Tunisia.
Establishing the forum
On January 30, 2004, China and the League of Arab States jointly announced the establishment of the China-Arab Cooperation Forum, a strategic decision made by China and the Arab countries based on the long-term development of bilateral relations, according to a statement from the Chinese Embassy in Cairo.
On September 14, 2004, the first session of the ministerial meeting of the forum was held at the headquarters of the League of Arab States in Cairo, which symbolized the formal activation of the forum, with the aim of enhancing dialogue and cooperation between China and the Arab countries and promoting peace and development.
During the two decades of the forum's founding, 19 cooperation mechanisms were established between the two sides within the framework of the forum, covering wide-ranging areas such as politics, economy, trade, energy, culture, health, and others.
Until 2024, the forum has issued 85 final documents, and has become an effective tool for enriching China-Arab strategic partnership relations and an important platform for dialogue and supporting practical cooperation between the two sides.
The meetings within the framework of the forum were not limited to senior officials and ministers from both sides. In December 2022, the first China-Arab Summit was successfully held in Riyadh, in the presence of Chinese President Xi Jinping and leaders of Arab countries, who unanimously agreed to work on building the Chinese-Arab community for a common future towards the new era. .
Forum achievements
Over the course of 20 years, Chinese-Arab relations have achieved a great leap within the framework of the Forum. In the first session of the Ministerial Meeting of the Forum in 2004, China and the League of Arab States agreed to establish “partnership relations” based on equality and comprehensive cooperation, and in the fourth session of the Ministerial Meeting in 2010, it was announced The two sides decided to establish “strategic cooperation relations” between China and Arab countries, and in the eighth session in 2018, relations were upgraded to “strategic partnership relations” between China and Arab countries.
To date, comprehensive strategic partnership relations have been established between China and 4 Arab countries: Egypt, Algeria, Saudi Arabia, and the Emirates, and strategic partnership relations have been established between China and 10 Arab countries: Qatar, Iraq, Jordan, Sudan, Morocco, Oman, Djibouti, Kuwait, Palestine, and Syria.
13 Arab countries joined the “Group of Friends of the Global Development Initiative,” 3 Arab countries became members of the BRICS mechanism, and 6 Arab countries became dialogue partners of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.
The League of Arab States is the first regional organization in the world to sign with China the cooperation document on building the Belt and Road, as well as a document on the implementation of the Global Civilization Initiative, in addition to the cooperation document on establishing the Chinese-Arab Association of Intellectual Institutions.
The Arab League Council at the level of foreign ministers has adopted China-friendly resolutions 44 consecutive times to date, stressing that the Arab countries adhere to the one-China principle and support the Belt and Road Initiative.
On the economic level, the volume of trade exchange between China and the Arab countries has increased tenfold since the founding of the forum, rising from $36.7 billion in 2004 to $398.1 billion in 2023, and China has become the largest trading partner of the Arab countries for many years in a row.
Until the end of November 2023, the China Development Bank provided support for 99 projects in Arab countries by issuing loans worth $17.189 billion.
The People's Bank of China signed bilateral agreements to swap local currencies with the central banks of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the UAE, and 17 Arab countries became members of the Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank.
Culturally, by the end of 2023, the Chinese language has been officially included in the national school curricula in 6 Arab countries: Egypt, the Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Palestine, Tunisia, and Djibouti. China has established 21 Confucius Institutes and Confucius Classrooms in cooperation with 13 Arab countries.
Broad horizons
Minister Plenipotentiary Hala Gad, Director of the Information and Documentation Department of the League of Arab States, said that the establishment of the China-Arab Cooperation Forum in 2004 and the completion of its work so far “is in itself a great achievement.”
Jad explained in a statement to Xinhua News Agency that the forum achieved very great achievements in various political and strategic fields, as well as in various issues, including the Palestinian issue, and also in relations between the Arab and Chinese sides, which are based on the principle of everyone winning.
According to the Arab official, the latest of these achievements was the signing at the beginning of this year of the establishment of the Chinese-Arab Association of Intellectual Institutions.
She added that China supports all Arab issues, including the Palestinian issue, and the Arab countries always support the one-China principle.
She described the ministerial meeting of the China-Arab Cooperation Forum scheduled to be held tomorrow in Beijing, as it will be an important meeting because it coincides with many occasions, the first of which is: the 20th anniversary of the founding of the forum, and secondly: the 10-year anniversary of the forum’s ten-year development plan during the period 2014-2024.
She continued, "I believe that there will be very great momentum for this meeting in Beijing," and stressed that "there are broad prospects for cooperation between the Arab and Chinese sides within the framework of the forum, especially in the areas of investment and trade."
She indicated that the League of Arab States is satisfied with the level of relations with China, especially since there is a very important political and strategic dialogue between the two sides, and mutual support in international forums on issues of common concern.
In turn, Chinese affairs expert Ahmed Salam considered that the China-Arab Cooperation Forum is an important mechanism and a comprehensive and effective platform for enhancing multifaceted cooperation between China and Arab countries.
Salam, a former Egyptian media advisor in Beijing, told Xinhua that 20 years after the establishment of the forum, we find that the direct and long-term goals of the forum are already being achieved on the ground.
He added that the figures on the volume of trade exchange between China and Arab countries and the volume of Chinese investments in the Arab region confirm the development of Chinese-Arab relations since the establishment of the forum, and demonstrate that China plays an important role in helping Arab countries build their capabilities, localize technology, and implement development plans.
The Egyptian expert continued that the forum provides a space for political and strategic dialogue between China and Arab countries, which enhances mutual understanding.
He pointed out that the forum enhances popular communication and cultural cooperation by organizing joint cultural and educational events, and encourages the exchange of experiences in the scientific and technological fields.
He believed that Chinese-Arab relations had witnessed a clear and significant boom since the establishment of the forum, which came at a time when the Arab countries wanted to move east. He noted that the cooperation mechanisms that were established within the framework of the forum included various fields, and the volume of trade exchange between the two countries increased tenfold.
He pointed out that the forum provides great opportunities to develop relations between China and Arab countries, through constructive cooperation to confront challenges and exploit available opportunities to achieve development.
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