On April 6, the 9th China-Arab Business Conference and 7th Investment Seminar of the China-Arab Cooperation Forum was held both online and offline in Beijing. Gao Yan, Chairperson of China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT); Dr. Kamal Hassan Ali, Assistant Secretary General for Economic Affairs of League of Arab States; Mr. Mohamed Al-Rumaithi, Chairman of the Union of Arab Chambers; Dr. Hamdi Tabbaa, President of Federation of Arab Businessmen; Amb. Ahcene BOUKHELFA, Ambassador of Algeria in China/Dean of Arab Diplomatic Corps in China, and Li Yong, Director General, United Nations Industrial Development Organization attended the opening ceremony and delivered speeches.

Gao Yan pointed out that the thriving and fruitful cooperation between the Chinese and Arab industrial and commercial communities continue to demonstrate the commitment to advancing mutually beneficial cooperation and achieving common prosperity. As an important platform for business exchanges, the conference will further unleash the potential of China-Arab economic and trade cooperation. The CCPIT is ready to serve as a bridge between the Chinese and Arab industrial and commercial circles by gathering strengths from both parties. Moreover, both sides will jointly build a China-Arab community with a shared future in the new era, and achieve breakthroughs in the China-Arab strategic partnership.

Kamal Ali said that China and the Arab League have long been committed to deepening China-Arab relations, and Arab countries have a lot to learn from China’s successful experience in coordinating pandemic prevention and control with economic and social development. In recent years, China-Arab economic and trade cooperation has come a long way, and it is believed that this conference will facilitate pandemic responses by both sides as well as the cooperation in trade, investment and other fields.

Mohamed Rumehi argued that China proved to be hugely appealing to foreign investors as an important investment destination for Arab countries. China has powerful manufacturing capacity and Chinese products are highly competitive in the Arab market. There are also broad prospects for cooperation in trade, investment, science and technology, infrastructure, health, etc.

Hamdi Taba noted that coordination and unity are required from China and Arab countries to overcome the adverse socio-economic impacts exerted by the pandemic. The investment and economic cooperation between the two sides enjoy tremendous potential, and digital economy, infrastructure, and agriculture are all areas for further cooperation.   

Ahsan Bukhalifa reckoned that the conference is critical in building mutually beneficial China-Arab relations that deliver win-win results. The two sides jointly hold the conference in spite of the pandemic consequences, which is a positive sign for further advancing long-term cooperation between China and Arab countries. It is hoped that Arab entrepreneurs can seize the opportunities brought by China’s implementation of the “14th Five-Year Plan” and the construction of a new “dual circulation” development pattern.

Li Yong noted that this conference will help Chinese and Arab entrepreneurs cement partnership, create opportunities for cooperation, and fully tap the industrialization potential of China and Arab countries to boost cooperation in terms of investment, technology and innovation.

Heads of Chinese and Arab companies and institutions, including China Communications Construction, Sany Group, Alibaba Group, and Saudi Arabian Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) made speeches, exchanged ideas during the discussion session, and introduced investment opportunities. The meeting issued the Beijing Declaration.

The conference, with the theme of “Joint Efforts for Closer Sino-Arab Economic and Trade Cooperation” is co-hosted by the CCPIT, the Secretariat of the League of Arab States, and the Union of Arab Chambers. About 800 people including Chinese and Arab government officials, people from the industrial and commercial circles as well as representatives of relevant international and regional organizations attended the meeting either on-site or online.