The General Secretariat of the Arab League (AL) affirmed on Wednesday its keenness on developing and maintaining Arab-Chinese relations and the success of the objectives of the Arab-Chinese Forum, which has become a bridge of communication between both societies to achieve common interests. This came in a speech delivered by Assistant Secretary-General Haifa Abu Ghazaleh on Wednesday at the opening of the ninth session of the Symposium on Arab-Chinese Relations and Dialogue between the Arab and Chinese Civilisations. The Symposium — which was held under the theme of fostering "communication between the Chinese and Arab civilisations in the context of partnership in building the Chinese-Arab community for the common future," — is part of the executive programme of the China-Arab Cooperation Forum for 2020-2022. Since its inception in 2004, the China-Arab Cooperation Forum has contributed to strengthening cooperation and coordination relations between the two sides in a way that represented a real qualitative leap in all fields. It has contributed to consolidating Arab-Chinese friendship, promoting cooperation in building the Belt and Road initiative, and fostering communication and mutual benefit in various fields, Abu Ghazaleh said, noting that the prominent feature of the forum is to focus on the importance of dialogue among civilisations and cultural exchange. She also expressed her aspiration that the holding of the dialogue's seminar between the Arab and Chinese civilisations will remain a milestone in the course of the China-Arab Cooperation Forum and will contribute to achieving greater rapprochement between the two peoples. "It strengthens the common denominators between the two sides, pushing forward the establishment of an Arab and Chinese society for the common future in a deep and tangible way that serves the best interests of the two peoples," Abu Ghazaleh concluded.
