-Confronted with the COVID-19 pandemic, China and Arab states fight side by side with solidarity and mutual assistance.
-Experts believed the ministerial meeting has shown again the willingness by China and the Arab world to strengthen cooperation in face of the pandemic.
-The joint fight against COVID-19 and the unswerving efforts in promoting cooperation in various fields have laid a solid foundation for building a China-Arab community with a shared future.
CAIRO, July 6 -- The 9th ministerial meeting of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum was held on Monday via video link, highlighting China-Arab solidarity in fighting COVID-19 as well as their consensus on advancing relations.
In his congratulatory letter to the virtual meeting, Chinese President Xi Jinping said China and Arab states have offered mutual assistance and staunch support to each other, and engaged in close cooperation since the COVID-19 outbreak, while stressing that under the current circumstances, it is more necessary than ever for the two sides to step up cooperation and join hands in tiding over difficulties.
"I hope China and Arab states can take the meeting as an opportunity to enhance strategic communication and coordination, steadily advance cooperation in various fields including pandemic response, promote the building of the China-Arab community with a shared future to continuously go deeper and more practical, so as to better benefit the peoples of the two sides," Xi added.
Workers carry boxes of medical equipment donated by China in Damascus, capital of Syria, on June 24, 2020.
Co-chaired by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, the meeting was attended by foreign ministers of the Arab League (AL) member states, along with AL Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul-Gheit.
AL chief Aboul-Gheit said in a statement that holding the meeting amid ongoing world challenges reflects the keenness of the Middle East and China, voicing confidence that the Arab-China relations will be lifted to a new level following the meeting.
FRIEND IN NEED
Two weeks ago, leaders of various political parties in the region attended the China-Arab States Political Parties Dialogue Extraordinary Meeting, during which a joint declaration was issued, hailing the mutual support in combating COVID-19 and envisioning brighter prospects for future cooperation.
Such a friendship was lauded again at Monday's ministerial meeting, during which Djiboutian Foreign Minister Mahmoud Ali Youssouf said the friendly ties between Arab countries and China are exemplary, as recently shown in their joint combat against COVID-19.
Noting that the two sides commit themselves to fighting the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud said at the meeting that Arab-China relations have been growing stronger over time and have made good progress in recent years.
Indeed, amid the raging pandemic, China and Arab states have been fighting side by side, a welcome move from people on both sides.
When China was in the depths of its own fight against COVID-19, Arab states showed solidarity with China by voicing support and donating medical supplies. Some famous landmarks, including ancient temples in Egypt and the Burj Khalifa in the United Arab Emirates, were lit up in the colors of China's national flag.
As the pandemic started to rage in the Arab world, China delivered much-needed supplies and shared its experience combatting the disease via video conferences with medical staff from 21 Arab states and sent medical experts to eight Arab states.
