On December 9, 2022, President Xi Jinping delivered a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the first China-Arab States Summit. On the same day, the first China-Arab States Summit and the China-Gulf Cooperation Council Summit were held in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia as scheduled. These two landmark summits have pushed China's cooperation with the Gulf countries and Arab countries to a new level. The GCC has a total of 6 members, and leaders of Arab countries, including many African countries, participated in the China-Arab Summit. They gathered in Riyadh for a summit with Chinese leaders, expressing their desire to strengthen cooperation with China and their determination to establish a more just and reasonable international order. . Western media, on the other hand, observed all aspects of cooperation between China and Arab countries with vigilant eyes - from military cooperation, 5G and 6G network construction, to RMB settlement of oil and gas trade, and said that these are areas that "have aroused the anger of US officials". But as one Emirati academic told Western media: "Whether America likes it or not, we have to deal with China."

A great cause begins with a dream and is accomplished with hard work

At 2 pm local time on the 9th, the summit of the China-Gulf Arab States Cooperation Council was held first. President Xi Jinping, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia Mohammed, Emir Tamim of Qatar, King Hamad of Bahrain, Crown Prince Mishaal of Kuwait, Deputy Prime Minister Fahd of Oman, Chief of Fujairah Sharki, Secretary of the GCC Naif attended the summit. The summit decided to establish and strengthen China-Global strategic partnership.

Xi Jinping delivered a keynote speech. He emphasized that in the next 3 to 5 years, China is willing to make efforts with the GCC countries in the following key areas of cooperation: building a new pattern of three-dimensional energy cooperation, promoting new progress in financial investment cooperation, expanding new areas of innovation and technology cooperation, and realizing new developments in aerospace cooperation. Make breakthroughs and create new highlights in language and cultural cooperation. Reuters said on the 9th that Chinese leaders stated at the meeting that China will continue to expand imports of crude oil and liquefied natural gas from GCC countries, strengthen cooperation in oil and gas development, clean and low-carbon energy technology, and carry out RMB settlement of oil and gas trade.

The GCC has six member states, all of which have abundant energy resources. These countries are Washington's strategic partners, but they are strengthening their ties with China as part of an effort to 'look east' to diversify their economies. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad said in his speech that the summit reflects the common desire to strengthen cooperation between China and the Gulf countries, creating a historic new stage of cooperation between China and the Gulf countries. The meeting discussed the establishment of the China-Gulf Countries Free Trade Zone.

Subsequently, a larger China-Arab summit was held. In his speech, Xi Jinping emphasized that the world is currently entering a new period of turmoil and change, and new and profound changes are taking place in the Middle East. The Arab people's desire for peace and development is more urgent, and their call for fairness and justice is stronger. As strategic partners, China and Arab states should inherit and carry forward the spirit of friendship between China and Arab states, strengthen solidarity and cooperation, and build a closer China-Arab community with a shared future, so as to better benefit the two peoples and promote the cause of human progress.

A great cause begins with a dream and is accomplished through hard work. Let us carry forward the spirit of China-Arab friendship, work together to build a China-Arab community with a shared future for the new era, and create a brighter future for China-Arab relations! Xi Jinping finally emphasized.

I salute those who designed this summit, because it shows their foresight in diversifying political, economic and security relationships. Writer Abdullatif McNawi's signed article stated that this summit is undoubtedly an important and special beginning of the strategic partnership between Arab countries and China. The agenda of the summit shows that in the context of major changes in the international landscape and the need to strengthen strategic cooperation, broad prospects for development await economic cooperation between the UAE and China.

Ibrahim Hashem, a former strategic advisor to the chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Board of the United Arab Emirates and a researcher at the Asia Global Institute of the University of Hong Kong, said that due to the history of friendship and deep reserves of goodwill between the two sides, Arabs and Chinese can naturally build trust relation. The leaders of Arab countries and China have far-reaching considerations about their relationship. This summit is of great significance to the future strategic synergy and complementarity between China and Arab countries, as well as the promotion of economic cooperation.

There are still many potential areas of cooperation between China and Arab countries

The 9th is the third day since President Xi Jinping arrived in Saudi Arabia. From the 8th to the 9th, Xi Jinping met with the leaders of more than a dozen regional countries, including Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Kuwait, Egypt, Palestine, Tunisia, Iraq, Mauritania, Djibouti, Qatar, Comoros, Somalia, and Bahrain. people.

Without a doubt, this is a historic visit! The Saudi Arabian Scientific Research and Knowledge Exchange Center in Riyadh is the most important China research center in the Arab world. Fahd, a researcher at the center, said that the visit of Chinese leaders will not only further deepen the economic exchanges between China and Saudi Arabia, but also promote the deepening of the Arab countries. Participation in the Belt and Road Initiative is of great significance to strengthening the relationship between China and Arab countries. The summit reached important outcomes and agreements that are beneficial to the region and the world. No matter by any standard, the visit is a success.

Yahya Mahmoud bin Junaid, chairman of the Center for Scientific Research and Knowledge Exchange, said that China is welcomed by Arab countries. China strives to build itself, share knowledge and experience with the world, and provide assistance to many countries. Most importantly, China does not interfere in the internal affairs of other countries, and does not impose its own values and traditions on others.

China needs Arab countries, just like Arab countries need China. China is the world's largest importer of crude oil, and China is the largest trading partner of Arab countries. However, the trade between the two sides still stays in the traditional fields, such as energy and commodity exchange, infrastructure construction. It needs to expand into the digital economy and communications. Likewise, significant progress remains to be made in achieving food security for some 2 billion people in the Arab region. In addition, the two sides have not made substantial progress in economic integration, and the existing and potential energy sources have not been fully utilized.

Western media holding a magnifying glass to see China-Arab cooperation

Western countries are closely watching the Chinese leader's visit for clues about Saudi foreign policy and China's influence in the Middle East. The United States has long been the dominant security power in the Middle East, but its long-term commitment is facing questions. The report mentioned that the leaders of China and Saudi Arabia signed a comprehensive strategic partnership agreement on the 8th, issued a joint statement, and reached a series of commercial agreements including energy and technology agreements, but did not mention more Controversial aspects such as arms sales of advanced weapons, 5G and 6G communications networks, and some Saudi oil sales are denominated in yuan. An agreement signed between the two parties involved a Saudi renewable energy company and a Chinese bank, suggesting a deepening of financial cooperation between China and Saudi Arabia.

In the past few days, some western countries and media have been hyping that "China is using the differences between the United States and Saudi Arabia to expand its footprint and influence in the Middle East." Dominance poses a challenge". "This is not true." Fahd told reporters that China and the United States have different strategic goals in the region. The United States is based on security, while China focuses on the economy.

In the past few decades, the relationship between China and Saudi Arabia has changed dramatically, and the relationship between the United States and Saudi Arabia has also changed. Abdullah, an Emirati analyst and senior visiting scholar at Harvard University, was quoted in the report as saying that the message of these changes in relations is that this is a new Saudi Arabia. This is a new bay. Whether America likes it or not, we have to deal with China.Editor/Xing Wentao