Fresh Middle East trip broadens path to peace

A general view of the Arab foreign minister's meeting at the Arab League in Cairo, Egypt, January 10, 2016. [Photo/Agencies]

President Xi Jinping begins a trip to Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Iran on Tuesday. His trip shows China is committed to raising its relations with the three countries to a higher level and presents a golden opportunity for deeper reciprocal and pragmatic cooperation in a wide range of fields.

During his visits, China is expected to boost interaction with the Middle East under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, deepen traditional energy cooperation and cultivate new growth points in areas such as infrastructure, trade and investment facilitation, nuclear energy and aerospace.

Economically, the Middle East is the largest source of China's overseas energy supplies and occupies an important position in China's Belt and Road Initiative.

On the security level, China counts on cooperation from Middle East countries to help it curtail terrorism, separatism and extremism.

Given the significant clout of Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Iran in the Middle East, building stronger ties with the three countries could propel China's overall strategy in the region, as it has both the will and capability to contribute to peace and development in the Middle East.

As a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, China is bound to play a role in the Middle East. Hence, the world will be paying close attention to how Xi espouses China's views on major issues in the Middle East and presents China's vision for defusing crises and rebuilding peace and stability in the region.

Political unrest in some countries in the region, the rise of the Islamic State terrorist group and the latest skirmish between Saudi Arabia and Iran have added new uncertainties and complications to the region's overall environment.

Over the years, China has maintained an objective and just stance in pushing parties in the region to resolve their differences in peace. China actively cooperated with other international players in the region until a peaceful resolution to the Iranian nuclear issue was achieved last July.

It has also remained consistent in pushing for talks and negotiations in Syria which has now been widely recognized by the international community as the right approach to solving the crisis in that country.

We believe China's diplomatic vision and constructive role in the Middle East will help the region and the world better cope with the issues the region is facing today as well as usher in a better future for people in the region.