China, Arab states pledge to cooperate

As the fifth Ministerial Conference of China-Arab States Cooperation Forum drew to a close on Thursday, participants from China and Arab League countries agreed to work side by side to address major international issues and bring tangible benefits to the people.

On the Syrian issue, Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said that China and Arab countries support UN-Arab League special envoy Kofi Annan's six-point peace plan and will work side by side to call for an immediate stop to bloodshed and foreign intervention, hoping to prevent Syria from sliding into civil war.

Commenting on the latest mass killings in Houla, Syria, where 108 of people were killed, Yang said China was greatly astonished and saddened by the tragedy. In its strongest terms, China condemned the killing of innocent civilians, including women and children, demanded a fair and thorough investigation and called for the severe punishment of those responsible, Yang added.

He emphasized China has been fair in handling the Syrian issue, and that China has been working to safeguard the rules of international relationship, peace and stability in the Middle East and the long-term interest of the Syrian people.

China's unremitting position on the Syrian issue, which has been received with appreciation by Arab participants of the ministerial conference of the forum, reflects China's sincere wish for a peaceful, fair and proper solution of the Syrian issue, Yang said.

In an interview with Al Jazeera on Wednesday, Chen Xiaodong, director-general of the department of West Asian and North African affairs of the Foreign Ministry, said that China does not take the side of any party, including the Syrian government, and supports the efforts of the Syrian people to seek their own political system and development path.

On the conflict between Sudan and South Sudan, Rafik Abdessalem, Tunisian foreign minister and chairman of the conference, said that China and Arab League nations agreed to support Sudan's sovereignty, security, stability and territorial integrity and encouraged Sudan and South Sudan to achieve peace under the existing borderline.

Officials from China and Arab League nations also pledged to push forward economic cooperation.

Fruitful meetings

China and Arab League countries will continue to strengthen political dialogue and cooperation under the forum's framework in accordance with the conference communique and 2012-2014 working plan signed by Yang and Arab League Secretary-General Nabil al-Arabi.

This is the first high-level forum between China and Arab League nations after the two sides established a strategic cooperative relationship in 2010, said Hua Liming, a former ambassador to Iran and now a researcher at the China Institute of International Studies.

"Despite some minor misunderstandings triggered by the Syria issue, Sino-Arab ties have shown stronger momentum following the turbulent situation in the Middle East in the past year," Hua said.

The communique set targets of increasing China-Arab trade volume to $300 billion by 2014 and enhancing cooperation in human resources. China has pledged to train 5,000 professionals in various sectors for Arab League countries from 2012 to 2014.

During the conference, important agreements were signed between China's Ministry of Health and the Arab League secretariat on health-related cooperation mechanism, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technologies and Arab Industrial Development and Mining Organization, and State Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine and AIDMO.

Both sides will also encourage colleges and science institutions to develop academic exchanges.

Contact the writers at leixiaoxun@chinadaily.com.cn and zhangyunbi@chinadaily.com.cn