The fourth meeting of senior officials of the Sino-Arab
Cooperation Forum (SACF) came to a close on Thursday, with both
sides desirous to increase cooperation within the framework of the
forum.
A final document highlighted the importance of exchange and
cooperation between China and Arab countries.
The document chronicled the progresses made by China and Arab
countries in various fields including political, economical,
cultural and educational sectors.
Regarding further cooperation, the document read that the two
sides would use the framework of the SACF to actively engage in
various exchanges.
The two sides will notably forge ahead with cooperation on human
resources development, travel, culture, environment and science, it
said, adding that more avenues for cooperation would also actively
be sought. ?
Addressing the opening session of the meeting on Wednesday
morning, AL Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs Ahmad
Ben Hely said that the forum had been a great aid to
China-Arab?cooperation since its inception in 2004.
Continuing this forward momentum, Ben Hely said that Arab
countries and China should extend its reaches to the fields of
energy investment, human resources development, cultural exchange,
environmental protection and education.
Song Aiguo, Director General of West Asian and North African
Department of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, also spoke on Wednesday
saying that the forum would focus on creating new partnership
mechanisms.
The two-day meeting also revolved on preparing the third SACF
ministerial conference, slated for 2008 in Bahrain.
At a joint press conference with Ben Hely on Thursday after the
meeting wrapped, Song said the Chinese government paid great
importance to this meeting, as could be seen from the unprecedented
participation of eight governmental departments in the Chinese
delegation.
He also outlined that the Sino-Arab relationship was at a new
political and economic stage, as could be witnessed by the frequent
high level visits and increasing trade volume between the two
sides.
Latest statistics put the trade volume between China and Arab
countries at US$66.2 billion for 2006, making the Arab world
China's eighth largest trade partner.
Since the second SACF ministerial meeting in Beijing last year,
a series of activities have taken place including an Arab art
festival, seminars on environmental protection and the petroleum
chemical industry.
In addition, the second China-Arab Business Conference closed
two weeks ago in the Jordanian capital Amman, with around 1,000
entrepreneurs from China and 16 Arab countries in attendance.
(Xinhua News Agency July 6, 2007)
