Chinese FM calls for speedy implementation of China-Arab summit's outcomes

Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang (L) and Arab League (AL) Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit attend a press conference in Cairo, capital of Egypt, Jan. 15, 2023. (Xinhua/Wang Dongzhen)

CAIRO, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- China is ready to strengthen communication and coordination with Arab countries to implement the outcomes of the first China-Arab States Summit, Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang said here Sunday.

The summit was held successfully with fruitful results, Qin said while meeting the press with Arab League (AL) Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit.

Three significant outcome documents were issued, namely the Riyadh Declaration of the First China-Arab States Summit, the Outline of the Comprehensive Cooperation Plan Between China and Arab States and a document on deepening the Sino-Arab strategic partnership for peace and development, Qin said, adding both sides also agree to make all-out efforts to build a China-Arab community with a shared future in the new era.

Going forward, China is ready to strengthen communication and coordination with Arab countries to implement the outcomes of the summit, Qin said.

Firstly, China and Arab countries should jointly carry forward the spirit of bilateral friendship featuring "solidarity and mutual assistance, equality and mutual benefit, and inclusiveness and mutual learning." Both sides should uphold independence, focus on economic development, maintain regional peace and strengthen inter-civilizational exchanges, so as to make solid progress in building a China-Arab community with a shared future and contribute to the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, said the Chinese foreign minister.

Secondly, both sides should jointly implement the spirit of the Riyadh Declaration. The Declaration emphasizes maintaining international order and multilateralism based on international law, promoting the common values of peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy and freedom of all mankind, opposing politicizing and instrumenting human rights issues and interfering in other countries' internal affairs, upholding the concept of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, strengthening counter-terrorism efforts, and opposing "double standards" on fighting terrorism, strengthening dialogue among civilizations, safeguarding the diversity of civilizations, and opposing the "clash of civilizations" theory, he said.

Qin added that the two sides should jointly uphold the above spirit, safeguard international fairness and justice, and safeguard the common interests of developing countries.

Thirdly, both sides need to work together for more outcomes of practical cooperation. The Outline of China-Arab Comprehensive Cooperation Plan covers 182 cooperation measures in 18 fields, including politics, trade and economy, investment and finance. The eight major cooperation initiatives for China-Arab practical cooperation proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping cover 56 cooperation measures in eight areas, including development support, food security, public health, green innovation, energy security, inter-civilizational dialogue, youth development and security and stability, which meet the development needs and concerns of the Arab side, said Qin.

China will establish an effective working mechanism with Arab countries to implement the above-mentioned cooperation measures one by one, accelerate cooperation projects that are ripe for development and strive for more early harvests, Qin said.