Xi'sMideasttriptoopenupnewprospectsforChina-Arabcommunitywithsharedfuture_GuangmingOnlineXi'sMideasttriptoopenupnewprospectsforChina-Arabcommunitywithsharedfuture*ThefirstChina-ArabStatesSummitisastrategicchoiceforChinaandArabcountriesunderthecurrentsituation.Leadersofthetwosideswillchartthecourseforfuturecooperation,upgradebilateralties,andfurtherconsolidatetheirconsensusonmajorissuessuchasglobalgovernance,developmentandsecurity,anddialogueamongcivilizations.*WithChinesePresidentXiJinping'spromotionandthejointeffortsfrombothsides,ChinaandArabcountrieshavegraspedthetrendofhistoryandmadecontinuousprogressinbuildingaChina-Arabcommunitywithasharedfuture.*Together,ChinaandArabcountrieshavepracticedtruemultilateralism,continuouslyexpandedpracticalcooperation,strengthenedcoordinationininternationalandregionalaffairs,anddemonstratedtheirresponsibilities,furtherenrichingandinvigoratingtheChina-Arabstrategicpartnership.RIYADH,Dec.7(Xinhua)--ChinesePresidentXiJinpingarrivedhereWednesdayafternoontoattendthefirstChina-ArabStatesSummitandtheChina-GulfCooperationCouncil(GCC)summit,andpayastatevisittoSaudiArabiaattheinvitationofKingSalmanbinAbdulazizAlSaudofSaudiArabia.ItiswidelybelievedthatXi'stripwillgiveafurtherboosttoChina'scooperationwiththeArabworld,promotepeaceandprosperityintheregion,andchartapathtojointlybuildingaChina-Arabcommunitywithasharedfutureforthenewera.STRONGERCOOPERATION,CLOSERBONDSTheworldisonceagainatacriticaljuncture.Aslewofpressingglobalchallengessuchasasluggishglobaleconomy,risingblocpolitics,wideningwealthgaps,aswellasescalatingfoodandsecuritycrisesaretestinghumanity'sresolveandwisdom.Againstthisbackdrop,ChinaandArabcountries,morethanever,needtojoinforcestostrengthencooperationandovercomevariousinternationalchallenges.ChinaiswillingtoworkwithArabcountriestoenhancemutualsupportandexpandcooperationinajointefforttobuildaChina-Arabcommunitywithasharedfutureforthenewera,soastocreateabrightfutureforChina-Arabrelationsandmakecontributionstoworldpeaceanddevelopment,Xisaidinacongratulatorymessagetothe31stArabLeague(AL)SummitonNov.1.ThefirstChina-ArabStatesSummitisastrategicchoiceforChinaandArabcountriesunderthecurrentsituation.Leadersofthetwosideswillchartthecourseforfuturecooperation,upgradebilateralties,andfurtherconsolidatetheirconsensusonmajorissuessuchasglobalgovernance,developmentandsecurity,anddialogueamongcivilizations.TakingtheChina-GCCsummitasanopportunity,thetwosidesareexpectedtocontinuetheirfriendlytradition,drawupablueprintforfuturecooperationandpromotecommondevelopment.Overtime,ChinaandArabcountrieshavesetafineexampleoffriendlyexchangesamongdifferentculturesandnations.SincethefoundingofthePeople'sRepublicofChinamorethan70yearsago,ChinaandArabcountrieshaverespectedeachother,treatedeachotherasequals,achievedmutualbenefitsandlearnedfromeachother.AhmadSulaiman,thefirstplacewinner,participatesinthe"ChineseBridge"ChineseproficiencycompetitionforuniversitystudentsinRiyadh,SaudiArabia,July20,2022.(Xinhua/WangHaizhou)Inthepastfewyears,China-Arabrelationsinthenewerahaveshowngreatvitalityandseenconstantprogress,whichhasalsobolsteredthebuildingofaChina-Arabcommunitywithasharedfuture.In2014,XifirstproposedbuildingaChina-ArabcommunityofcommoninterestsandacommunityofcommondestinyatthesixthministerialconferenceoftheChina-ArabStatesCooperationForum.TheproposalwaswarmlywelcomedbyArabcountries.Twoyearslater,XivisitedtheALheadquarters,elaboratingonChina'sMiddleEastpolicyinthenewerainacomprehensiveandsystematicwayandmappingouttheblueprintforthefuturedevelopmentofChina-Arabrelations,whichvigorouslyimprovedtheoverallcooperationbetweenChinaandArabcountries.In2018,XiannouncedthatChinaandtheArabcountriesagreedtoestablisha"Sino-Arabfuture-orientedstrategicpartnershipofcomprehensivecooperationandcommondevelopment"atthe8thministerialmeetingoftheChina-ArabStatesCooperationForum.ThatoutlinedapathforbuildingaChina-Arabcommunitywithasharedfuture.InJuly2020,ChinaandArabstatesreachedpositiveconsensusonincluding"jointlybuildingaChina-Arabcommunitywithasharedfutureinthenewera"intheAmmanDeclaration,whichwasadoptedduringthe9thministerialmeetingoftheChina-ArabStatesCooperationForum.WithXi'spromotionandthejointeffortsfrombothsides,ChinaandArabcountrieshavegraspedthetrendofhistoryandmadecontinuousprogressinbuildingaChina-Arabcommunitywithasharedfuture.Atpresent,ChinaandArabcountriesenjoyclosehigh-levelexchanges,enhancedpoliticalmutualtrust,fruitfuleconomicandtradecooperation,strongsolidarityagainstCOVID-19andcloserculturalandpeople-to-peopleexchanges.Theyhavestrengthenedcoordinationininternationalandregionalaffairs,settingabenchmarkforsolidarityandcooperationamongdevelopingcountriesandamodelforSouth-Southcooperation.ThefirstChina-ArabStatesSummitwillopenupbroaderprospectsfortheChina-Arabstrategicpartnership,andleadChinaandArabcountriestomakegreatstridesinbuildingaChina-Arabcommunitywithsharedfuture.NotingthatrelationsbetweentheGulfcountriesandChinaaregettingincreasinglycloser,MohanadAl-Azzawi,directorofSaqrCenterforStrategicStudiesintheUnitedArabEmirates(UAE),saidhehopesXi'svisitandtheChina-GCCsummitwillcomprehensivelydeepentheirrelations,addingthatincreasingcooperationandexchangesbetweenthetwosideshavebuilta"safetyvalve"fortheregion'seconomicandpoliticalstability.FormerEgyptianPrimeMinisterSherifIsmailsaidthatArabcountriesandChinaarebothrepresentativesoftheworld'sancientandgreatcivilizations,whichhavelongbeenlinkedbytheancientSilkRoad.Todate,thetwosideshavemaintainedcloseexchanges,andthefirstChina-ArabStatesSummitwillbeamilestoneinthestrategicpartnershipbetweenArabcountriesandChina,henoted.JOINTLYPROMOTEPEACE,PROSPERITYInQatar'scapitalDoha,thegleamingLusailStadiumlookslikea"goldenbowl"inthedesert.The80,000-seatmainvenuefortheFIFAWorldCup,designedandconstructedbyChinesecompanies,hasnotonlybecomeawitnesstothegrandinternationalfootballevent,butalsoanewlandmarkinQatar,andisprintedonthecountry's10-riyalbanknote.Withgreatvitality,theBeltandRoadcooperationbetweenChinaandArabcountriescontinuouslyaddsmomentumtothedevelopmentoftheMiddleEast.ThisphototakenonAug.11,2022showstheexteriorviewofLusailStadium,themainvenueforthe2022FIFAWorldCupinDoha,Qatar.(PhotobyNikku/Xinhua)LocatedatthejunctionofAsia,AfricaandEurope,Arabcountriesarewidelyknownfortheiruniquegeographicallocationss,richenergyreservesandsplendidcivilizations.However,challengestopeaceanddevelopmentstillpersistasaresultofdrawn-outwars,conflictsandotherfactors.Inthefaceofsuchproblems,China'sMiddleEastpolicyhasalwaysbeeninlinewiththestrongdesireofthepeopleintheregionforpeaceanddevelopment.Chinadoesnotseekself-servinginterestsintheMiddleEast,doesnotengageingeopoliticalcontests,anddoesnotcreatespheresofinfluence.Instead,itupholdsaspiritofequalandfriendlypartnershipandrespectstheindependentchoicesofcountriesintheregion,injectingpositiveenergyintothepeacefuldevelopmentoftheMiddleEastthroughsincerecooperation.Inthisregard,Xihasproposedbuildingacommon,comprehensive,cooperativeandsustainablesecurityarchitectureintheMiddleEast,providingimportantinspirationforsolvingthesecuritydilemmaintheregion.China'sproposaltopromotetheBeltandRoadcooperationwithArabcountrieshasreceivedbroadsupport,asitmeetstheArabcountries'needsforbetterdevelopment.Overthepasteightyears,remarkableprogresshasbeenmadethroughpracticalcooperationbetweenthetwosides,benefitingpeople'slivelihoodandpromotingregionaldevelopmentandprosperity.Sofar,ChinahassignedBeltandRoadcooperationdocumentswith20ArabcountriesandtheAL.Thetwosideshaveimplementedmorethan200large-scalecooperationprojectsinvariousfieldsincludingenergyandinfrastructure.Suchcooperationhasbenefitednearly2billionpeople.TaketheChina-ArabStatesBDS/GNSSCenter,thefirstoverseascenterforChina'sindigenousBeiDouNavigationSatelliteSystem(BDS)asanexample.Thecenter,whichwasofficiallyinauguratedinTunisiainApril2018,canprovidesolutionsforArabcountriesinthefieldsofagriculture,transportation,disasterreductionandpublicsafety.OtherprojectsliketheChina-EgyptTEDASuezEconomicandTradeCooperationZoneandtheAttaratoilshalepowerplantprojectinJordan,canalsoreflectthefruitfulBeltandRoadcooperationbetweenChinaandArabcountries.AliObaidAlDhaheri,ambassadoroftheUAEtoChina,saidtheBeltandRoadcooperation,dedicatedtocommonprosperityandmutualunderstanding,hasmaderemarkableachievements.TheambassadoraddedthatcooperationbetweenChinaandArabcountriesisenteringanew"goldenage."ThisphototakenonJan.14,2021showsaviewoftheentranceofChina-EgyptTEDASuezEconomicandTradeCooperationZoneinAinSokhna,Egypt.(Xinhua/WuHuiwo)BUILDINGABETTERFUTURETOGETHERDuringhisstatevisittoSaudiArabiainJanuary2016,XipointedoutthatChinaandSaudiArabiaaremajorcountrieswithprofoundhistoricalandculturalaccumulationsandnowbearthetaskofpromotingeconomicdevelopmentandimprovingpeople'slivelihood.Chinawill,togetherwithSaudiArabia,learnfromeachotherandrealizecommondevelopmentandprosperity.Duringthatvisit,thetwocountriesalsoagreedtoadvancetheirbilateraltiestoaChina-SaudiArabiacomprehensivestrategicpartnershipandsetuptheChina-SaudiArabiaHigh-levelJointCommittee,puttingbilateralrelationsonafasttrack.Undertheguidanceoftwoheadsofstate,politicalmutualtrustbetweenthetwocountrieshasbeenstrengthenedandtheircooperationinvariousfieldshasyieldedrichfruits.BothsidesagreedtomakeChina-SaudiArabiarelationsapriorityintheirforeignpoliciesandsupporteachotheronissuesconcerningtheirrespectivecoreinterests.WorkerscommunicateattheYanbuAramcoSinopecRefiningCompany(YASREF)inYanbu,SaudiArabia,Nov.27,2022.(Xinhua/WangHaizhou)ChinaisSaudiArabia'slargesttradingpartner,andSaudiArabiaisChina'simportantenergysupplierandlargesttradingpartnerwithintheWestAsiaandAfricaregion.BilateraltradevolumebetweenChinaandSaudiArabiareached87.31billionU.S.dollarsin2021,up30.1percentyear-on-year,accordingtotheChineseForeignMinistry.WiththeBRI'sdeepsynergywithSaudiArabia'sVision2030,bilateralcooperationinthefieldsofenergy,scienceandtechnologyandinfrastructurehasbeencontinuouslydeepened,andtheirculturalandpeople-to-peopleexchangeshavebecomeincreasinglyclose.AbdulazizAlshaabani,anexpertonChinafromSaudiArabia,saidhehopesthatthroughXi'sstatevisit,SaudiArabiaandChinawillmakebilateraltiesamodelforthedevelopmentofbilateralrelationsintheinternationalcommunity.SaudiArabiawillcontinuetobeareliableandtrustworthypartnerofChina,saidSaudiEnergyMinisterAbdulazizbinSalmanAlSaud.TheChina-SaudiArabiapartnershipistheepitomeofChina-Arabfriendlycooperation.Together,ChinaandArabcountrieshavepracticedtruemultilateralism,continuouslyexpandedpracticalcooperation,strengthenedcoordinationininternationalandregionalaffairs,anddemonstratedtheirresponsibilities,furtherenrichingandinvigoratingtheChina-Arabstrategicpartnership.Foritspart,Chinahasalwaysbeencommittedtoitsforeignpolicygoalsofupholdingworldpeaceandpromotingcommondevelopment,anditisdedicatedtopromotingahumancommunitywithasharedfuture.StaffmembersworkattheconstructionsiteoftheKingSalmanInternationalComplexforMaritimeIndustriesandServices,SaudiArabia,Oct.1,2022.(Xinhua/WangHaizhou)Nomatterhowtheinternationalsituationchanges,Chinawill,asithasdone,viewitsrelationswithArabcountriesfromastrategicandlong-termperspective,andtakethemasimportantpartnersinpursuingpeacefuldevelopment,strengtheningunityandcooperationamongdevelopingcountriesandbuildingahumancommunitywithasharedfuture.Lookingintothefuture,ChinawillcontinuetoworkwithArabcountriesinpromotingtheirtraditionalfriendshipandjointlybuildingaChina-Arabcommunitywithasharedfuture,soastomakemorecontributionstotheworld'slastingpeaceanddevelopment.(Videoreporters:YuFuqing,YangYiran,YaoBing,SuiXiankai,LiBinghong,HuGuan,WangHaizhou,LiuChang,ZhouChuyun,LiuHai,HuangLing,XuSupei,WuTianyuandJiZe;videoeditors:WuYuzhan,WangHouyuan,CaoYing,ZhuCong,MingDajunandPengYing.)Editor:DisclaimerTheviewsandopinionsexpressedinthisarticlearethoseoftheauthor's,GMW.cnmakesnorepresentationsastoaccuracy,suitability,orvalidityofanyinformationonthissiteandwillnotbeliableforanyerrors,omissions,ordelaysinthisinformation.