by Rania Aboelkheir

The year 2024 marked the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum. In May 2024, the forum convened its 10th ministerial meeting in Beijing, where China proposed "five cooperation frameworks" to step up the building of a China-Arab community with a shared future.

These frameworks outline a roadmap for developing China-Arab relations with the following objectives: a more dynamic framework for innovation, an expanded framework for investment and finance cooperation, a more multifaceted framework for energy cooperation, a more balanced framework for mutually beneficial economic and trade ties, and a broader framework for people-to-people exchanges.

The five frameworks serve as the cornerstones for future China-Arab collaboration, building upon the past successes of the partnership in traditional fields such as energy, infrastructure and trade, as well as emerging areas like information technology, digital economy and renewable energy.

The five frameworks reaffirm both sides' commitment to intensifying joint efforts to accelerate the building of a China-Arab community with a shared future, with the vision of establishing a model relationship based on mutual benefits, shared success, reciprocal learning and common progress.

In light of the above-mentioned ambitious blueprint, the past years have seen China and Arab states score success across various fields, most notably in the following sectors.

In energy and infrastructure, significant strides were made toward greater integration. In November 2024, the Fujian Gulei Phase II Integrated Refining and Petrochemical Project broke ground in east China's Fujian Province. This project exemplifies Chinese-Arab energy cooperation, with a total investment of 71.1 billion yuan (about 9.7 billion U.S. dollars) and an annual output value estimated to reach around 80.8 billion yuan (about 11 billion dollars). The project, expected to reach its full capacity in 2030, will supply 5 million tons of raw materials annually for downstream companies at the Gulei complex, enhancing its industrial chain while promoting smart and green development.

The two sides have also strengthened cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). For example, the China-Egypt TEDA Suez Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone has created nearly 9,000 direct and over 80,000 indirect job opportunities in Egypt. In Algeria, the eastern section of the East-West Highway, constructed with China's participation, has become a vital economic artery. In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), China's Harbin Electric International Engineering has partnered with Saudi Arabia's ACWA Power in a joint venture to build the Hassyan clean coal project in Dubai, the first of its kind in the Middle East. Statistics show that China and Arab countries have initiated more than 200 major projects in infrastructure, energy and other fields under the BRI, benefiting nearly 2 billion people in the two regions.

Tourism has flourished thanks to visa-free policies for Chinese citizens implemented by several Arab states, including Morocco, the UAE, Qatar and Tunisia, as well as the launch of direct flights between Chinese cities and destinations like Riyadh, Doha and Cairo.

Remarkable achievements were also made in satellite development, manufacturing and launching, as well as in data sharing, technical exchange and specialist training. China has also signed space cooperation agreements with countries like Algeria, Sudan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia, successfully launching Algeria's first communication satellite, Alcomsat-1, the Saudi Sat 5A and Sat 5B, Sudan's scientific experimental satellite, and MISRSAT-2 for Egypt.

China has established several Luban Workshops in the Arab world, including Djibouti, Egypt and Morocco, providing training in various disciplines such as mechatronics integration, railway operations and traditional Chinese medicine, aligning with the economic and social development strategies of host countries to nurture talents in key sectors.

The Arab youth has shown a growing interest in learning Chinese. Countries such as the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt have incorporated Chinese language instruction into their national education programs.

These accomplishments represent just a small fraction of the extensive cooperation between China and Arab nations, which share a commitment to building stronger ties under the BRI.

Over the past decade, China regarded Arab countries as natural partners in advancing the BRI, while Arab nations viewed the initiative as a vital developmental vision.

To date, all 22 Arab countries have become partners in the BRI, aligning its goals with their developmental needs, such as economic diversification and industrialization. The BRI also complements the long-term strategies of Arab nations, including Egypt Vision 2030, Saudi Vision 2030, Qatar National Vision 2030, the UAE's Principles of the 50 and Kuwait's 2035 Vision. Additionally, the League of Arab States was the first regional organization to sign a cooperation agreement with China on the BRI.

In conclusion, the strength of international friendships depends on the closeness of their people. In 2025, both sides aspire to continue practical cooperation, enhance exchanges in economy, technology and culture, and enhance mutual understanding and friendship between their people. I expect more cultural, educational and tourism exchanges to foster friendship and deepen intergovernmental cooperation.

Editor's note: Rania Aboelkheir is the secretary-general of the Global Forum for Future Studies, an Egyptian think tank.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the positions of Xinhua News Agency.

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