Thousands of miles are still neighbors, and the youth is full of novelty - written on the occasion of the opening of the 6th China Arab Expo

In the golden autumn season, we gather together in Jiangnan to celebrate the grand event.

The 6th China Arab Countries Expo, with the theme of "Joining Hands with the New Era to Seize New Opportunities and Share a New Future," was held in Yinchuan, Ningxia from September 21st to 24th.

This is a ten-year agreement - it coincides with the tenth anniversary of the "the Belt and Road" initiative. It has been ten years since the China Arab Economic and Trade Forum was upgraded, and it has become an important platform for China and Arab countries to jointly build the "the Belt and Road" high-quality development.

A ten-year grand event opens up a new chapter

On the banks of the Diannong River, at the opening ceremony, over a thousand guests from government departments and representatives from agencies stationed in China from nearly 60 countries entered one after another to attend the Golden Autumn Festival.

This is the outdoor scene of the opening ceremony of the 6th China Arab States Expo, filmed on September 21st in Yinchuan, Ningxia. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Feng Kaihua

Next to Yinchuan International Convention and Exhibition Center, more than 220 foreign trade associations, enterprises and more than 150 large domestic enterprises from countries jointly building the "the Belt and Road" are ready.

Over the past decade, the China Arab Expo has shown extraordinary vitality and momentum.

Over the past decade, economic and trade cooperation has been thriving——

Just 20 days ago, the research team of Ningxia University signed a $340 million cooperation agreement with Qatar to jointly build the China Qatar Photovoltaic Intelligent Agricultural Science and Technology Park and two research centers. Its independently developed green intelligent water-saving irrigation system will be applied to more than 700 farms in Qatar and promoted in more than 20 Arab countries.

"Many Arab countries, like Ningxia, suffer from drought and water scarcity, so our intelligent water-saving irrigation technology has been recognized," said Professor Sun Zhaojun of Ningxia University. From the first trial in Arab countries in 2013, to the export of equipment in 2015, and to the joint construction of agricultural science and technology parks this year... This green cooperation spanning mountains and seas is a vivid footnote to the achievements of the China Arab Expo in the past decade.

On September 21st, guests exchanged ideas with exhibitors at the 6th China Arab States Expo. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Feng Kaihua

China is the largest trading partner in the Arab region, with trade volume increasing from $222.4 billion in 2012 to $431.4 billion in 2022, nearly doubling in a decade. In the first half of this year, the scale of bilateral trade between China and Afghanistan remained stable, reaching 1999 billion US dollars.

Over the past decade, friendship and mutual trust have written a new chapter——

At the China Arab Youth Innovation and Development Forum held on the 21st, Moroccan girl Baoyun, as a representative, introduced the experience of cultural dissemination between China and Arab countries. The Chinese TV drama "Shanhaiqing" that she participated in translating is currently being broadcasted in Arab countries such as Oman and Iraq.

Morocco is the first North African country to sign the "the Belt and Road" cooperation plan with China. Hassan bin Omar, member of the Political Bureau and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Moroccan National Libertarian Union, said that Morocco is rising to become an important gateway to the Mediterranean region thanks to cooperation with China in areas such as investment, infrastructure, and technological development.

Cultural integration and joint development. "China has always been committed to strengthening cooperation with the Arab world, and the 6th China Arab Expo is an important opportunity for China to strengthen cooperation with the Arab world," said Ali Laya, the editor in chief of the Lebanese news website "China in the eyes of Arabs"

In the past ten years, the "the Belt and Road" has achieved mutual benefits and win-win results——

Over the past decade, the China Arab Expo has attracted more than 112 countries and regions, over 6000 domestic and foreign enterprises, and over 400000 merchants. Over 1200 cooperation projects have been signed, covering multiple fields such as agriculture, chemical industry, and medicine. As of December last year, China has signed the "the Belt and Road" cooperation document with 21 Arab countries and the Arab League, and the two sides have achieved fruitful results in cooperation in infrastructure, energy, technology, finance and other fields.

On September 21st, guests held talks at the Saudi Arabian Kingdom Pavilion, the guest of honor of the 6th China Arab States Expo. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Feng Kaihua

Yin Lijun, the Charg é d'affaires ad interim of the Chinese Embassy in Saudi Arabia, said that through ten years of cooperation and exchanges, the China Arab Expo has been expanding in scale and increasingly fruitful, showing strong resilience and vitality, and has become an important platform for China and Arab countries to jointly build the "the Belt and Road".

Deepening cooperation and composing a new chapter

At 11:40 am on August 27th, Flight 3U3781, carrying over 260 passengers, flew from Hedong International Airport in Yinchuan, Ningxia to Dubai, marking the resumption of direct flights from Yinchuan to Dubai and adding air passage for the China Arab Expo.

This aerial path carries the entrepreneurial dreams of young people from China and Arab countries. "It only takes 8 hours for a one-way trip, which is very convenient," said Yang Wanlong, a cross-border e-commerce entrepreneur. After participating in the previous expo, he sold "Made in China" to Arab countries. From daily necessities to automotive parts, his sales reached 20 million yuan last year, doubling year-on-year.

"After the popularization of electronic payment in Arab countries, it will bring even greater growth. We need to seize the opportunity and plan ahead." He is currently exploring the fresh food market and plans to establish overseas warehouses in the local area to find partners.

This is a grand event held at a new starting point: under the promotion of China, Middle Eastern countries are experiencing a wave of reconciliation; After the epidemic, offline events will be fully resumed; At the end of last year, the "Three Rings Summit" was held, promoting the relationship between China and Arab countries to a new level, opening up a new blueprint, and ushering in a new era.

A new starting point showcases a new atmosphere——

The "Silk Road Tianyan" remote sensing application platform, which can monitor catastrophic weather, was first launched at this expo. A batch of leading equipment, technologies, and new products, such as green high water retention soil preparation and surgical robots, have been unveiled to convey the new atmosphere of the Expo.

This is the exhibition area for medical care and smart meteorology at the 6th China Arab Countries Expo. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Feng Kaihua

New Meteorology Brings New Opportunities——

Guangdong Province is the theme province of this year's Expo. Liang Yanchun, deputy general manager of Guangzhou Dyson Thermal Energy Technology Co., Ltd., the exhibitor, said, "Our turnover in Arab countries and countries jointly built along the the Belt and Road has increased every year. I believe that after attending this Expo, we will go to a higher level."

On September 21st, guests visited the Guangdong Provincial Exhibition Hall, the theme province of the 6th China Arab States Expo. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Feng Kaihua

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is the guest of honor for this expo. Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources, Bandar Khurayev, said that China has become one of Saudi Arabia's most important and strong partners. We are very willing to use the mature platform of the China Arab Expo to expand cooperation areas and accelerate the pace of cooperation.

On September 21st, visitors visited the Saudi Arabian Kingdom Pavilion as the guest of honor at the 6th China Arab States Expo. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Feng Kaihua

New opportunities create new prospects——

Mohammad Luta, President and CEO of the Dubai Chamber of Commerce, stated that China's economic growth foundation is solid, supported by a strong manufacturing and talent pool, and rapidly developing in cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things, making these competitive advantages attractive.

From "carrying forward the spirit of the Silk Road" to "jointly building the" the Belt and Road "with high quality", from "jointly promoting the China Arab strategic partnership to achieve greater development" to "jointly building a China Arab community of common destiny for the new era", the six consecutive sessions of the China Arab Expo are a vivid witness to the sustained development of China Arab cooperation and deepening relations.

Seize opportunities and win the future together

In 2022, the bilateral trade volume between China and Argentina will grow by 30.6% year on year. In the first half of this year, the import and export growth rate of China and the countries jointly building the "the Belt and Road" will reach 9.8%.

The world economy is facing multiple downward risks. What positive signals will the hosting of the 6th China Arab Expo release?

"China Arab cooperation injects warmth into the world economy, and China Arab exchanges also provide a model for exchanges of different civilizations." Li Shaoxian, Dean of the China Arab States Research Institute at Ningxia University, said that in the current context of intensified global power competition, global energy transformation, high sovereign debt, and countries seizing the high ground of new economic development, the significance of China Arab economic and trade cooperation is further highlighted.

On September 21st, guests learned about clean energy projects at the 6th China Arab States Expo. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Feng Kaihua

Assistant Minister for Parliamentary Affairs of the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Salah Din Abdul Sadig, said that in the Arab world, China is playing an increasingly important role, especially in mediating conflicts. As people often say, "If it weren't for China, who else could there be?"

Saudi international expert Abdul Aziz Shabani believes that China's global development initiative, global security initiative, and global civilization initiative are important public goods that China has contributed to the world, providing solutions for solving security difficulties, development challenges, and civilization conflicts.

Faced with the new era of China Arab economic and trade cooperation, China's decision has become more firm:

——Further strengthen the alignment of development strategies, embrace development opportunities with openness, and seek mutual benefit and win-win through cooperation.

——Further promote mutual benefit and win-win cooperation, support and guide the deep participation of the business communities of China and Arab countries in cooperation, and assist Arab countries in achieving economic diversification, industrial revitalization, and improving people's livelihoods.

——Further consolidate the energy cooperation relationship and jointly build a new pattern of China Arab energy cooperation in the new era.

This is the digital economy and clean energy exhibition area of the 6th China Arab States Expo. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Feng Kaihua

"We will deeply implement the spirit of the first China Arab and China Sea Summit, focus on the" Outline of the China Arab Comprehensive Cooperation Plan "and other areas, better connect the markets of both sides, gather development momentum, share development opportunities, and promote greater development of practical cooperation in the field of China Arab economy and trade." Vice Minister of Commerce Li Fei said.

The Silk Road stretches far and wide, reaching all directions. From the founding of China to the sharing of countries along the "the Belt and Road", from an exhibition benefiting China and Arab countries to an open platform facing the world, China Arab Expo will be taken as an opportunity to open a new chapter in China Arab economic and trade cooperation. China will work hand in hand with Arab countries to create a better future together.

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