DOHA: Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani said yesterday the Arab world considers China a strategic partner and deep-rooted relations between both sides date back to centuries.
The Emir said in a speech at the opening of the seventh session of the Ministerial Meeting of China-Arab Cooperation Forum that China-Arab cooperation has achieved sustained growth and fruitful results in political, economic, security and energy sectors, thanks to the keenness of both sides to enhance and broaden cooperation for the good of their people.
Foreign Minister H E Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani read out the Emir’s speech at the event at the Doha Sheraton.
The Emir said the Arab world has attached great importance to relations with China, matching its international rank, economic weight and efficient political role in the international arena.
He said the forum is the best evidence of the keenness shown by both sides to support these relations.
The Emir hoped that the forum would develop effective mechanisms to speed up Arab-Chinese cooperation, overcome obstacles, enhance the role of the public and private sectors in the Arab world and China and encourage them to build economic and investment partnerships based on sound and solid foundations, taking into account common interests.
“We see in today’s meeting an opportunity to discuss means of enhancing cooperation and coordination among us to meet challenges that threaten peace, security and stability in the world and reach peaceful solutions to regional and international issues, including the Arab-Israeli conflict, the phenomenon of terrorism, extremism and issues of sustainable development,” the Emir was quoted as saying by Qatar News Agency.
He affirmed Qatar’s support to the initiative of building Silk Road Economic Belt put forward by Chinese President Xi Jinping. “We agree with China that the essence of the initiative lies in peace dialogue and cooperation among civilisations, openness, tolerance, mutual benefit and common prosperity,” the Emir said.
China to give $15bn to back Arab projects
In a speech at the opening session of the forum, President Xi said China would be fully prepared to exert joint efforts with Arab states to build the new economic belt and silk road with firm steps according to consultation, partnership and sharing between both sides to open wider and more comprehensive horizons for Sino-Arab strategic cooperation.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi read out the speech in which President Xi said in 2014 he had initiated a Sino-Arab partnership and the establishment of the economic belt and silk road and that the initiative has found positive response from Arab states.
The President said this round of the ministerial meeting will discuss in depth Sino-Arab cooperation in the building of the belt and the road, strengthen strategic cooperation and explore areas and projects of priority for collective cooperation for the next two years.
In his opening address, Sheikh Mohamed stressed the need for intensifying efforts and coordination in all issues of common interest, primarily development, climate, nuclear energy, dialogue of civilisations, and reform and development of the United Nations.
“The joint will of Arab countries and China to achieve a successful model of South-South cooperation makes this forum a strong platform to accelerate sustainable development at the national level of both sides through integrative work, which keeps pace with efforts to promote the human element; capacity-building, transfer of expertise, technology and capital; increasing trade volume and creating investment opportunities without losing sight of the cultural side,” he added.
Trade volume between Arab countries and China totalled $250bn in 2015, he said. Sheikh Mohamed praised China’s positions in support of Arab causes, including the Palestinian cause, and hoped Beijing’s continued support to Arab causes to reach the desired peace in the Middle East within the framework of principles and provisions of international law, the UN Charter and relevant Security Council resolutions that affirm the rights of the Palestinian people to establish their independent state, with its capital in Jerusalem. He said the draft Doha declaration includes topics that showed a unified vision to serve common interests.
The Foreign Minister said the implementation programme for China-Arab Cooperation Forum for 2016-2018 has an ambitious plan to advance relations between both sides and provides opportunity to build more joint strategies for cooperation in the political, economic, cultural and scientific sectors.
Sheikh Mohammed said in a joint press conference with Wang and Arab League Secretary-General Dr Nabil El Araby that the forum was part of ongoing meetings between Arab states and the China within the framework of continuous development of relations.
Wang said his country will provide special loans worth $15bn in the Middle East to support Arab projects in the oil and gas, automotive industries, building materials, renewable energy and other sectors.
He said both sides agreed to continue to strengthen the forum mechanism, and implementation of what contained in the executive programme of cooperation in 36 areas.
Dr El Araby said that the Doha declaration and the executive programme serve interests of both sides, particularly activities and events to be held over the next two years to deepen cooperation in energy, technology, investment and infrastructure fields.
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