Party Secretary Li meets Arab States envoys

Shanghai Party Secretary Li Qiang held a convention with the envoys of the Arab States to China, including 11 ambassadors, six state envoys and a representative of the Arab League Representative Office in China, in Shanghai on December 8.

Li welcomed the Arab envoys on behalf of the CPC Shanghai Committee and the municipal government, and briefed the guests on Shanghai’s epidemic prevention and control work, and the city’s economic and social development.

The friendship between China and Arab countries has a long history and is everlasting, Li noted. In the face of the sudden COVID-19 epidemic, China and Arab states have joined hands in fighting the epidemic, supporting each other, and fulfilling their solemn commitment to build a China-Arab community with a shared future, he added.

As China’s largest economic center city and the frontier window of reform and opening up, Shanghai is deeply implementing the spirit of President Xi Jinping’s important instructions for the city’s work, comprehensively planning for the next five years and even longer periods of development, further opening up to the outside world, and strengthening international cooperation.

During the process of accelerating the construction of “five centers” and a socialist modern international metropolis with world influence, Shanghai has had friendly exchanges with Arab countries, Li said. Under the framework of the China-Arab strategic partnership, Shanghai is willing to further exert its advantages and expand cooperation space, promote practical exchanges and cooperation between the two sides in various fields such as economy, trade, education, and humanities, so as to make a positive contribution to the sound development of China-Arab ties.

Turki M. A. Almadi, Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to China, expressed his gratitude to China and Shanghai for the support and help in the fight against the pandemic on behalf of the envoys. He said that the fight against the epidemic once again demonstrated the friendly relations between the Arab world and China and the profound friendship between the people of China and Arabic States.

Shanghai is a microcosm of China’s tremendous development achievements and an important economic and trade partner of Arab countries. It is hoped that this visit will further enhance mutual understanding, deepen economic and trade exchanges, and push Arab-China relations to a new level, Almadi said.

Ahcene Boukhelfa, Algeria’s ambassador to China; Fariz Mehdawi, Palestine ambassador; Dhia Khaled, Tunisia ambassador; Ali al-Dhaheri, United Arab Emirates ambassador; Mrs. Milia Jabbour, Lebanon ambassador; Awalle Ali Kullane, Somalia ambassador; M. Abdellahi El Vilaly, Mauritania ambassador; Mohamed A. al-Dehaimi, Qatar ambassador; Hussam al-Husseini, Jordan ambassador; Nasser Mohammed Albusaidi, Oman ambassador; Ahmed M. A. Shawir, Sudan ambassador; and Mahmoud Amin, director of the Arab League Representative Office in China, as well as diplomatic envoys from Libya, Yemen, Egypt, Morocco, Comoros, Iraq and other countries to China attended the meeting.

Shanghai leaders Zhuge Yujie and Zong Ming, and Assistant Foreign Minister Deng Li were also present.