Saudi Arabian soccer fans learn to write Chinese characters at a Chinese brand stand outside Lusail Stadium in Qatar on November 22, 2022. Photo: VCG

 Chinese President Xi Jinping attending the first China-Arab States Summit is China's largest and highest profile diplomatic initiative linked to the Arab world since 1949, and will be a milestone in the history of China-Arab relations, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday, noting that the summit is expected to boost relations between China and Arab countries to a new level.

From Wednesday to Saturday, Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend the first China-Arab States Summit and the China-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and pay a state visit to Saudi Arabia at the invitation of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying announced on Wednesday. 

At a regular Foreign Ministry briefing on Wednesday afternoon, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said the summit will be a landmark milestone in the history of China-Arab relations.

At a time when the world is entering a new period of turbulence, the convening of the first China-Arab Summit is a strategic choice for both sides to strengthen solidarity and cooperation under the current situation, Mao said, noting that China hopes to treat the Summit as an opportunity to further coalesce the strategic consensus between China and the Arab states on major regional and international issues, and to make a strong voice for strengthening solidarity and cooperation and upholding multilateralism.

China and the Arab countries will build the "Belt and Road Initiative" with high quality, inject positive energy for peace and development in the Middle East and the world, make every effort to build a China-Arab community with a shared future in the new era, and drive the overall unity of developing countries, Mao stressed.

Regarding the expected outcome of the summit, Mao said that China believes that the summit will renew the tradition of friendship between China and the Middle East, further enrich the strategic connections of China-GCC relations and raise them to a new level.

The GCC countries are important partners of China in the Middle East, and China has been in contact with the GCC since its establishment. 

The upcoming first China-GCC Summit will be the first time that the leaders of China and GCC countries will gather to discuss the development of China-GCC relations, which will have far-reaching implications for the development of China-GCC relations, Mao said.

Outside the summit, President Xi will also pay a state visit to Saudi Arabia. This will be Xi's first state visit to the Middle East after the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), and his second visit to Saudi Arabia in six years.

Saudi Arabia is a comprehensive strategic partner of China, Mao said. In recent years, China and Saudi Arabia have been consolidating their political mutual trust, deeply dovetailing their development strategies, and maintaining good coordination and cooperation in international and regional affairs.

During the visit, Xi will hold an in-depth exchange of views with King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman on bilateral relations between China and Saudi Arabia and issues of common concern, and promote the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Saudi Arabia to a higher level, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said. 

Global Times