The Chinese Foreign Ministry and the General Secretariat of the
League of Arab States issued in Cairo Friday a communique on the
establishment of a Sino-Arab cooperation forum.?
Chinese President Hu Jintao, who is currently on a state visit
to Egypt, paid a visit to the league's General Secretariat on
Friday and met with Amr Mahmoud Moussa, the league's
secretary-general and Arab representatives at the Arab League
headquarters.
President Hu put forward four principles for developing a new
type of partnership between China and Arab countries.
The four principles are: to promote political relations on the
basis of mutual respect, to forge closer trade and economic links
so as to achieve common development, to expand cultural exchanges
so as to draw upon each other's experience, and to strengthen
cooperation in international affairs with the aim of safeguarding
world peace and promoting common development.
At the meeting, Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing, who is
accompanying President Hu on the visit, had an in-depth exchange of
views with Moussa on relations between China and Arab countries and
on international and regional issues of common concern.
The two sides reviewed the development of relations between
China and Arab countries and expressed satisfaction with the great
achievements made in their cooperation.
They believed that the cooperation between China and Arab
countries has a strong foundation and enjoys great potential and
broad prospects. And it also conforms with the common wishes and
long-term interests of the two sides to enhance the cooperation in
various fields.
As developing nations, they said, China and Arab countries are
playing an important role in the cause of safeguarding world peace
and promoting common development.
By maintaining and strengthening consultation and coordination
in international affairs, China and Arab countries will help
establish a new international political and economic order, the two
sides declared.
China expressed its appreciation for Arab countries' adherence
to the one-China policy while Arab countries praised China for its
support for the just cause and rights and interests of the Arab
people.
In order to further develop the cooperation in various fields,
the two sides announced the establishment of the China-Arab states
cooperation forum Friday.
The two sides agreed to hold the first meeting at the
ministerial level as soon as possible.
(Xinhua News Agency January 31, 2004)