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Wang Yi: China Will Uphold "Four Supports" for Arab States
2014-01-06 14:56

Foreign Minister Wang Yi talked about the new Chinese government's policy towards Arab states during a recent interview with Al Jazeera, that is, China will support Arab states in following their chosen paths, support Arab states in resolving the region's hotspot issues through political means, support Arab states in achieving a win-win and common development with China, and support Arab states in playing a bigger role in regional and international affairs and in more effectively safeguarding their legitimate rights and interests.

Talking about his recent and very first visit to the Middle East region as the foreign minister of China's new government, Wang Yi said that the trip, which took him to five countries, namely, Palestine, Israel, Algeria, Morocco and Saudi Arabia, had three goals, namely, to carry forward the relations of friendship, to deepen existing cooperation, and to promote peace talks.

Wang Yi said that China and the Arab states enjoy time-honored ties of friendship, forged by the two-thousand-year old Silk Road. In modern times, China has firmly supported Arab states in their cause to win national independence and liberation. China is committed to carrying forward this traditional friendship. He said that his Middle East trip had achieved this goal completely, as he had felt for himself the profound goodwill of the Arab states and their peoples for China and the Chinese people.

Wang Yi stated that China works hard to deepen its cooperation with the countries in the region for mutual benefit. Last year, two-way trade reached nearly US$300 billion, with China becoming the top trading partner of many Arab states. According to rough statistics, China's accumulated contractual value in the region totaled US$120 billion, including a substantial input in infrastructure, such as roads, bridges and factories. More recently, China's direct investment in the region has grown rapidly. Already standing at US$10 billion in accumulative terms, it keeps increasing with an incredible speed.

Wang Yi pointed out that the Third Plenum of the 18th CPC Central Committee held not long ago, which made important arrangements on the comprehensive deepening of reform and opening-up, will bring about fresh and important opportunities for the cooperation between China and the countries in the region. China plans to develop a Silk Road economic belt that spans the Eurasia continent and a maritime Silk Road that links the Pacific with the Indian Ocean. It is clear on map that the two Silk Roads will cross at the Middle East region, which spells excellent opportunities and bright prospects for common development and common prosperity of China and the region's countries. Wang talked about his discussions with Arab leaders during the visit over many new ideas and new schemes of cooperation, saying that China is ready to share its experience in high-speed rail development with any country and participate in national rail network programs of the region's countries, thus benefiting these countries and their peoples.

Wang Yi said that many hotspot issues in the Middle East were undergoing important changes. One key purpose of his visit was to follow through on President Xi Jinping's four-point proposal on the issue of Palestine. Moreover, he also discussed the Syrian and the Iranian nuclear issues of shared interest with the leaders of the region's countries and stated China's readiness to contribute its share to bring peace and stability to the region. On the whole, his visit has achieved its anticipated purpose.

Wang Yi stressed that in Algeria, he elaborated on the new Chinese government's policy towards Arab states, which can be summarized as "four supports". That is, China supports Arab states in following their chosen paths, supports Arab states in resolving the region's hotspot issues through political means, supports Arab states in achieving a win-win and common development with China, and supports Arab states in playing a bigger role in regional and international affairs and in more effectively safeguarding their legitimate rights and interests. This represents China's most fundamental position which also meets the aspiration and fundamental interests of the Arab countries and their peoples.

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