The Second Ministerial Meeting of China-Arab Cooperation Forum
is to be held in Beijing from May 31 to June 1. Leaders from China
and the Arab states will discuss key cooperation projects and map
out fields for future cooperation during the summit, according to
the Chinese Foreign Ministry.
Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing and his counterparts or
representative from 22 Arab countries and the Arab League (AL) will
attend the meeting, Zhai Jun, director-general of the foreign
ministry's Department of West Asian and North African
Affairs, said on Wednesday.
"This is the first time the forum is holding its ministerial
meeting in China since it was founded in 2004," Zhai said.
He added that it would also be the first time that foreign
ministers of all Arab countries are meeting outside the Middle
East.
He confirmed that Foreign Minister Mahmud al-Zahar of Palestine
would also attend the meeting.
Li will co-host the meeting with Foreign Minister of the United
Arab Emirates Sheik Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, whose country
holds the current AL rotating presidency, and AL Secretary General
Amr Moussa.
The meeting will focus on developing the new China-Arab
partnership. Senior Chinese leaders are also scheduled to meet with
the Arab delegates on the sidelines of the meeting.
Two documents are to be signed at the end of the meeting
including a communiqué and working plans for the next two years,
Zhai said.
Energy cooperation constitutes an important part of China-Arab
cooperation, he acknowledged. China imported 52 million tons of
crude oil from the Arab states last year, and trade volume with the
Arab world was valued at US$51.3 billion last year, he said.
"However, China-Arab cooperation is not confined to the oil
fields," he added.
China and the Arab countries have cooperated in trade,
investment, culture, environment and other fields, he said.
Further, a series of cooperation events were organized last year
including an entrepreneurship forum, investment seminar and
symposium on China-Arab civilizations. A cooperative training
program on human resources was also launched.
(Xinhua News Agency May 18, 2006)