(MENAFN- Asia Times) The Belt and Road Initiative will advance and consolidate strategic cooperative ties between China and Arab countries Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi wrote in an article published Tuesday in Ahram an Egyptian state-run newspaper.
Wang wrote the article to coincide with his attendance at the 7th ministerial meeting of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum held this year in Qatar.
In the article Wang said that he will discuss with the Arab countries a “means of jointly advancing the Belt and Road Initiative and deepen China-Arab strategic cooperation.”
China and Arab countries will also exchange views on international and regional issues of common concern at the meeting Wang said.
This year’s forum which kicks off in Doha on Thursday will mark the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and the Arab world.
At the forum’s 6th ministerial meeting in 2014 Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed a larger “1+2+3” China-Arab cooperation framework.
“Over the past two years the China-Arab cooperation tree has become fruitful due to mutual efforts” said Wang noting that China and Arab countries has cooperated in the areas of politics economics and cultural matters.
The Belt and Road Initiative which comprises the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road was brought up in 2013 with the aim of building a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along the ancient Silk Road routes.
“Around 2000 years ago China and Arab nations built mutual understanding and communication via the old Silk Road” Wang said. “Advancing the Belt and Road initiative which needs convenient environment will provide big momentum to achieve peace in the region” Wang said.
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