The fourth China-Arab States Political Parties Dialogue was held in Yinchuan, capital city of northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region from July 13th to 14th, 2023. Political leaders from 19 Arab countries and leaders of 67 political parties and organizations as well as think tank representatives exchanged views on "China-Arab States civilization exchanges: from the ancient Silk Road to the community with a shared destiny in the new era".  

The Arab side agreed that China is always committed to improving the well-being of the whole world while pursuing its own development. China-proposed  public goods, including the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), aim to promote the construction of a community with a shared future for mankind, bringing huge opportunities to people of all countries. The Arab side is willing to work with China to strengthen exchanges and cooperation in various fields and jointly build a China-Arab community with a shared future in the new era.  

Photo shows the fourth China-Arab States Political Parties Dialogue, July 13th, 2023.  

This year marks the tenth anniversary of the BRI. To date, China has signed Belt and Road cooperation documents with 21 Arab countries and the League of Arab States.   

Morocco is the first North African country to sign a Belt and Road cooperation agreement with China. The two countries signed a memorandum of understanding on the Belt and Road cooperation in 2017, injecting strong impetus into bilateral relations, said Hassan Benomar, a member of the political bureau of Rassemblement National des Independants (RNI) and deputy speaker of the Moroccan House of Representatives. He added that thanks to cooperation with China in investment, infrastructure, technology development, etc., Morocco is emerging as an important gateway in the Mediterranean region.  

Over the past decade, trade between China and Arab states has grown by 100 billion U.S. dollars, with the total volume exceeding 300 billion dollars; China's direct investment in Arab states was up by 2.6 times, with the stock of investment reaching 23 billion dollars. In 2022, trade between China and Arab countries exceeded USD 430 billion. China has become Arab states' biggest trading partner.  

Saleban Daher Bile, a member of the executive bureau of the People's Rally for Progress (RPP) of Djibouti and secretary general of the Djibouti National Assembly believed China has helped BRI partner countries build capacity.  

China continues to expand investment in Africa in infrastructure, which is an important support for economic development, he remarked. Chinese enterprises are building high-quality ports, cross-border roads and railways, industrial parks, and free trade zones, dams and other important infrastructure facilities in Africa, and investing in forestry, mining, oil exploration, hotel industry and etc, making great contributions to the economic development of African countries and creating a large number of local jobs.  

Photo shows guests attending the fourth China-Arab States Political Parties Dialogue, July 13th, 2023.  

Moreover, the Arab side highly commended China's increasingly important role in maintaining regional peace and stability.  

Saud Qubailat, secretary general of Jordan's Communist Party, said they highly appreciate China’s commitment to building fair and just international relations. He went on saying that through this dialogue, they are happy to see China’s achievements and progress up close and feel the wisdom and efforts of the Chinese people. China-proposed initiatives on international relations will have a very positive impact on the entire world.  

Salah Eldin Abdel Sadiq, an Egyptian Assistant Foreign Minister, said, Arab countries greatly appreciate China's mediation role in restoring Saudi-Iran diplomatic ties, which has brought security and stability to the Middle East. China is playing an increasingly important role in the Arab world, especially in mediating conflicts. Just as what people often say, “if not China, then who?”  

A declaration on the implementation of the Global Civilization Initiative was approved at the event. The Arab side highly recognizes and appreciates the China-proposed Global Civilization Initiative, and believes that it contributes Chinese wisdom to joint response to global challenges, provides strong support for promoting the construction of a community with a shared future for mankind, and injects sustained impetus into the development and progress of human civilization. It is another important public good China provided for the international community.  

In his written speech sent to the dialogue, Mahmoud Abbas, chairman of Fatah and president of Palestine, acknowledged the important influence of China and the CPC in the Arab world and the international community. He added that thanks to China's continuous efforts in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and BRICS, as well as a series of China-proposed initiatives such as the Global Civilization Initiative, all sides are jointly building a multi-polar world. Countries with goodwill and committed to the well-being of mankind like China are needed, he said.