Arab League (AL) Secretary-General Amr Moussa Saturday spoke
highly of the Arab-Sino relations, saying that Arab leaders and
officials are flocking to Asian countries including China amid a
new go-east trend.
Moussa made the remarks in the Arabic-Chinese Friendship Hall at
the Cairo-based AL Headquarters in an interview with Chinese media
including Xinhua on the eve of the Second Ministerial Meeting of
China-Arab Cooperation Forum, slated for May 31 in Beijing.
Moussa said that the AL has joined in the Chinese side in
preparing for the two-day forum, which will be attended by foreign
ministers or representatives of AL's 22 Arab members and Moussa
himself.
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He said that the Arab world has maintained good relations with
China, as is evidenced by the hall where the interview is being
conducted.
The hall decorated in typical Chinese style is indeed an easy
reminder of China and its culture -- Chinese vase, wood-carving
pipe, Chinese-style furniture, folding screen, tapestries sketching
the Great Wall and the giant panda, and relic-like pendent lights
-- all from China.
Moussa said that all these adornments and furniture were given
as presents by Chinese government after Chinese President Hu Jintao
paid a historic visit to the AL headquarters in January 2004.
Hu's visit opened the door for a new and special Arab-Sino
relationship, said the 69-year-old Egyptian veteran diplomat who is
very popular across the Arab world.
Eight months after Hu's visit, the first China-Arab forum was
staged in the AL headquarters in September 2004.
Such a forum offers a golden opportunity for the Arab-Chinese
cooperation, which can be materialized through regular action
plans, meetings and other activities, said Moussa.
He anticipated that a further development would occur in the
decades long good relations between Arab community and China with
the help of the forum.
Thanks to the forum, Arab nations and China are allowed to
cooperate not only on the political front, but also on economic and
cultural fronts, said Moussa.
China, as a major world power and an important international
player, has constantly supported Arab nations' just cause and
legitimate rights, especially on the Palestinian issue, he said,
noting that Arab nations value highly of the Chinese role in the
region.
The AL also attaches great importance to economic cooperation
with China, Moussa said, wishing such cooperation could help to
facilitate the development process of the Arab world.
Since September 2004, the forum has witnessed an increasing
participation of Arab entrepreneurs who Moussa said showed great
interest in cooperation with Chinese counterparts on investment,
trade, and technological exchanges.
The second forum, under the theme of "Developing New China-Arab
Partnership", will provide a good opportunity for the expansion of
trade and investment between Arab nations and China, asserted
Moussa.
He said that cultural cooperation also promises a good future
since both China and the Arab world -- with Pharaonic, Babylonian
and Maghreb civilizations -- boast a long history and one or
several unique civilizations.
The AL has high expectations from the forum, especially on its
role to increase trade, expand investment and enhance technological
exchanges, said Moussa, adding that Arab nations expect better
trade and investment performance.
The forum is bound to push forward with the all-round
cooperation between China and Arab nations to a new height and to
facilitate civilization dialogues between the two sides, said
Moussa.
He said that such dialogues are very important given the
argument of the "clash of civilizations," which has cast much
repercussion in the Arab world.
The Arab world, said Moussa, is interested in conducting
dialogues with highly-valued Chinese civilization since the
relations between the Arab world and China are based on mutual
understanding and agreements, rather than on conflicts and
groundless accusations.
The Arab world is keen on developing an all-round relations with
China through mutual understanding, consultation and coordination,
he said.
Moussa emphasized that the Arab world is willing to listen to
China's views and stance on international issues, particularly at a
time when various opinions are confusing the international
community.
With the largest population, China is economically one of the
most active nations in the world and has a broad and good
development prospect, Moussa said, adding that China will grow into
an important polar in 50 years.
As for the Taiwan question, the AL chief said that the AL has a
clear stance, which is that "The world has but one China, and we
only visit a China with Beijing as its capital," said Moussa.
(Xinhua News Agency May 29, 2006)
