The first Arab-Chinese Literature Forum, dubbed "Literary Innovation on the New Silk Road," kicked off in Cairo on Thursday with an aim to promote the dialogue between civilizations.

The event will feature three major topics, namely Heritage and Literary Innovation, Literature in Modern Life, and Translation Movement for Literary Works.

The forum mirrored the great importance China attaches to its dialogue with other civilizations, Arab ones in particular, Saeed al-Masry, secretary-general of the Egyptian Supreme Council for Culture, said in his speech at the forum.

"The event helps bridge the Arab-Chinese dialogue and cooperation," Masry said.

More than 50 writers and authors from China, Egypt, Algeria, Iraq, Kuwait, Morocco, Sudan, Tunisia, Yemen, Jordan and other countries took part in the forum.

Among the 13 participating Chinese writers were Yu Hua, the author of "To Live," and Liu Zhenyun, who wrote the book "Someone to Talk to."

China's Ambassador to Egypt Song Aiguo hailed the forum as a platform to promote the Arab-Chinese cultural relations, saying China and Arab countries both have long-standing histories and civilizations.

The modern Silk Road will not only work to boost the trade, but also bolster the development of culture, literature and translation, said Tie Ning, head of the Chinese Writers Association.

"The forum will enhance mutual interests between China and the Arab world, and add new inspiration into the application of the Belt and Road Initiative," Habib al-Sayegh, secretary-general of Arab Writers Union, told Xinhua.

Proposed by China in 2013, the initiative aims to build a trade and infrastructure network that connects Asia with Africa and Europe along the ancient Silk Road trade routes.

Al-Sayegh urged the Arab people to read more about Chinese culture to narrow the gap in understanding of the Chinese literature, hailing the cultural events as a huge promotion for the translation movement.

For his part, Alaa Abdel Hady, head of Egyptian Writers Union, said that the forum manifests a strong cultural base between China and the Arab world, which in turn strengthens ties between the two sides in various areas.

"China has gone through a long path in the field of literature, and has different techniques of writing," he said, noting the Arab world needs to recognize and absorb those experience.

He added that one everlasting heritage from the ancient Silk Road was cultural and civilization exchange and it will be inherited by the modern Silk Road.