Zhao Lijian

Faced with a changing world, China and Arab countries encounter similar challenges and opportunities and China is always taking Arab countries as strategic partners in adhering to the peaceful development path and in jointly building a community with shared destiny, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Friday.

The comments were made after the Chinese Foreign Ministry released a report titled “China-Arab Cooperation in the New Era” on Thursday night, looking back at a long-standing friendship between China and Arab countries and highlighting the strategic mutual trust of China-Arab ties in the new era. 

The Arab world is a region with a high concentration of China’s strategic partnerships. China and Arab countries have established a comprehensive cooperation, common development, and future-oriented strategic partnership, and established 12 pairs of strategic partnerships at the bilateral level, according to the report. 

Both China and the Arab countries advocate respect for sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, mutual non-aggression, and non-interference in each other's internal affairs, calling for equality and mutual benefit, and peaceful coexistence, the report said. They both oppose external interference and all forms of hegemonism and power politics, it noted. 

The world is currently undergoing major changes unseen in a century, and China and Arab countries are facing similar opportunities and challenges, Zhao Lijian, spokesperson of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, told at a routine press conference on Friday. 

“China has always regarded Arab countries as strategic partners that firmly follow the path of peaceful development, strengthen cooperation with developing countries, and promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind,” he said. 

The spokesperson also noted that China will continue to work with Arab countries to carry forward traditional friendship, deepen cooperation in various fields while strengthening cultural exchanges, and work together to build a China-Arab community with a shared future for the new era. It benefits the Chinese and Arab peoples, drives the unity and cooperation of developing countries and jointly promotes world peace and development. 

Saudi Arabia plans to host a Chinese-Arab summit on December 9, Reuters reported on Thursday, citing three Arab diplomats in the region familiar with the plans.

Saudi minister of state for foreign affairs Adel Al-Jubeir earlier this month told Reuters that strengthening trade ties and regional security would be priorities during the event, which is also expected to include a China-Gulf summit alongside the wider Arab gathering.

In response to a question raised about the reported visit by President Xi Jinping, Zhao told the press conference on Friday that currently he has no information to share.

Global Times