[ad_1]
Xinhua News Agency, Riyadh, March 30 (International observation) China and Middle Eastern countries continue to write a new chapter in cooperation
Xinhua News Agency reporter Hu Guan
From March 24 to 30, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi was invited to make official visits to Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Iran, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, as well as a working visit to Oman. Visiting six Middle Eastern countries in seven days, which set a record for China’s Foreign Minister visiting most Middle Eastern countries at once. During the visit, China presented a five-point initiative to achieve security and stability in the Middle East and reached consensus with the six countries in areas such as promoting regional peace and stability, realizing practical multilateral cooperation. and the joint construction of a China. -Arab community with a shared future.
Analysts believe that the relationship between China and the Middle Eastern countries is based on mutual support and common prosperity. The two sides will work together to build a fuller and deeper cooperation platform and write a wonderful new chapter for the future development of the relationship.
Fruitful results
During the visit, China presented a five-point initiative to achieve security and stability in the Middle East, including promoting mutual respect, upholding fairness and justice, realizing nuclear non-proliferation, building collective security and acceleration of development cooperation. This initiative provides Chinese wisdom for the realization of regional security and stability in the Middle East, which has suffered from great power plays and geopolitical competitions in modern times, demonstrates the concept of China’s Middle East diplomacy in the new it was and injects positive energy into the realization of security and stability in the Middle East.
Overall, China’s initiative has been well received and actively responded to by Middle Eastern countries. Major media outlets, such as the website of the Saudi Arabian television station, prominently published the content of the Chinese initiative and gave positive comments. The Palestinian Foreign Ministry issued a statement thanking China for its initiative. Turkish Foreign Minister Cavusoglu said that Turkey appreciates China’s initiative to achieve security and stability in the Middle East and is willing to strengthen communication and coordination with China on the Middle East issue.
During this visit, in addition to safeguarding regional security, China and the six Middle Eastern countries have deepened consensus on many aspects, including continuing to stand firmly on their core interests and promoting high-quality joint construction of the “Belt and Road” as guide. Practical cooperation will be enhanced and enhanced, continue to oppose the politicization of the new corona epidemic, and resist labeling of vaccines.
Analysts pointed out that China holds high the flag of multilateralism, safeguards international fairness and justice, always emphasizes respect for the sovereignty, independence and national dignity of all countries, and safeguards the international system with the United Nations as the nucleus and the based international order. on international law. The development of relations between the countries of the Middle East has provided a solid guarantee and has expanded the areas of cooperation. Middle Eastern countries also welcome China to play a greater role in Middle Eastern affairs.
Close cooperation
China will begin the implementation of the “XIV Five Year Plan” in 2021, starting a new journey of building a modern socialist country in a comprehensive way. During the visit, the six Middle Eastern countries praised China’s development achievements and were full of expectations of deepening practical cooperation with China. Analysts believe that China and the Middle Eastern countries have strong economic complementarity and a strong willingness to cooperate. Many Middle Eastern countries have announced their own strategic development plans. The implementation of development strategies between China and these countries may form a great pattern of complementarity and mutual benefit.
Turkish President Erdogan said that the Turkish side hopes to promote the connection between the Turkish “Intermediate Corridor” plan and the “Belt and Road” initiative, deepening cooperation in interconnection, infrastructure construction, investment and other fields, promoting the balanced development of bilateral relations. trading and promoting the use of local currency for settlement.
Hamid Wafai, director of the Center for Asian Studies at the University of Tehran in Iran, believes that deepening cooperation between Iran and China will play a constructive role in world peace and security.
Saudi international trade expert Fawaz Alimi said China’s willingness to work with Saudi Arabia to jointly promote the early completion of the China-GCC Free Trade Area is “the best news of the past decade.” He considers this to be of great importance for the Gulf countries. Not only can it provide an example for the Gulf countries to reach similar agreements with other countries or regions, but it also allows the Gulf countries to benefit from other economic cooperation mechanisms that China is in.
Building a China-Arab community with a shared future
China has a long history of friendly exchanges with Arab countries. The two sides have always supported each other on issues related to the core interests and main concerns of the other, and have always gone hand in hand in exploring independent development paths. China is firmly ranked as the Arab countries’ largest trading partner, and there are many bright spots in China-Arab cooperation.
In 2020, the volume of China-Arab trade will be almost 240 billion US dollars; China imported 250 million tons of crude oil from Arab countries, representing half of China’s total imports during the same period. The resumption of production and production of key projects in the framework of the joint construction of the “Belt and Road” initiative between China and the Arab countries is progressing in an orderly manner. High-tech cooperation in 5G, big data, artificial intelligence and aerospace is underway Regional recognition of Chinese products, Chinese technologies and Chinese standards continues to rise. Saad Rashid, a Bahrain political analyst, said that China is the world’s second largest economy and that strengthening cooperation with China is a positive way to promote Bahrain’s development. The Omani media also expressed confidence and expectations for cooperation with China.
China and Argentina are also good partners in the fight against the epidemic. The main UAE media “Federal Newspaper” published an article saying that the cooperation between China and the UAE on the new corona vaccine is an important event in the global fight against the new epidemic. of the crown, reflecting the deep friendship and broad prospects for cooperation between the two. countries, and promote definitive international cooperation to overcome the epidemic.
Aspire to build a community of shared future between China and the Arab states, and develop the strategic partnership between China and the Arab states. Wang Yi said in a media interview at the end of his visit that China and the Arab countries should align each other’s development strategies on the basis of achieving integrated development, consolidating cooperation throughout the energy industry chain, deepen high-tech cooperation, improve financial investment and free trade agreements, and promote the convergence of norms and standards. At the same time, both sides should take as a guarantee the promotion of China-Arab ties, make good use of mechanisms such as the China-Arab Cooperation Forum, deepen exchanges and cooperation on youth, culture, education, and tourism, and establish a solid foundation of friendship for generations. (Reporters participating: Gao Wencheng, Zheng Siyuan, Tu Yifan)
【Correction error】
【Editor-in-charge: Jiao Peng】
