Xi's participation in inaugural China-Arab States Summit an epoch-making milestone: spokesperson

BEIJING - President Xi Jinping will attend the inaugural China-Arab States Summit. This will be the largest and highest-level diplomatic event between China and the Arab world since the founding of the People's Republic of China as well as an epoch-making milestone in the history of China-Arab relations, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Wednesday.

"To hold the first China-Arab States Summit is a joint strategic decision of both sides to strengthen solidarity and coordination under the current circumstances. We hope the summit will provide an opportunity for both sides to explore ideas for further growing our relations, lay out the blueprint for future cooperation and usher in a bright future of China-Arab strategic partnership," spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular news briefing.

"We hope to build more strategic common understandings on major regional and international issues to send a strong message about our determination to strengthen solidarity and coordination, render each other firm support, promote common development and defend multilateralism. We hope to jointly act on the Global Development Initiative and the Global Security Initiative, advance high-quality Belt and Road cooperation and contribute to the peace and development of the Middle East and the world at large," she added.

"We hope to build a China-Arab community with a shared future in the new era and identify the pathways and practical measures together, in order to promote solidarity among developing countries and contribute to a community with a shared future for humanity," the spokesperson said.

Xi will attend the first China-Arab States Summit and the China-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and pay a state visit to Saudi Arabia from Dec 7 to 10 at the invitation of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia, foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying announced earlier on Wednesday.

Calling GCC countries important partners for China in its cooperation with the Middle East, Mao said China-GCC relations have enjoyed all-round, rapid and deep growth over the past 41 years, with fruitful cooperation spanning the areas of economy, trade, energy, financial services, investment, high-tech, aerospace, language and culture, setting the pace for cooperation between China and Middle East countries.

"The China-GCC Summit will bring the leaders of China and GCC countries together for the first time to discuss important issues related to China-GCC relations," the spokesperson said.

During the summit, President Xi will have in-depth exchanges of views with leaders of the participating countries on China-GCC relations and issues of shared interest, she said, adding the summit will carry forward the traditional friendship China enjoys with GCC countries, further enrich the strategic content of the relations and elevate them to a new level.

On President Xi's state visit to Saudi Arabia, the spokesperson said it will be Xi's first visit to a Middle East country after the successful 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and his second visit to Saudi Arabia in six years.

During the visit, President Xi will have in-depth exchanges of views with King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud on bilateral relations and issues of shared interest, and elevate the China-Saudi Arabia comprehensive strategic partnership to a higher level, Mao said.