Working together on energy cooperation particularly in oil,
natural gas and renewable power and counter-terrorism measures is
the way forward according to an action plan issued in the wake of
the second ministerial meeting of the China-Arab Cooperation Forum
which concluded in Beijing yesterday.
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"China and the Arab countries will encourage their enterprises to
increase mutual investment and set up joint ventures in the energy
sector," said the document which was signed by Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing and Arab League Secretary-general
Amre Moussa.
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The first oil meeting between China and the Arab countries will be
held sometime between 2006 and 2008 according to the plan.
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The Arab countries are China's largest crude oil supplier. Last
year 55.36 million tons of crude oil were imported from Arab
countries which is 43.7 percent of the nation's total oil
imports.
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In a communiqué signed yesterday the two sides also agreed to step
up anti-terror cooperation in bilateral, regional and multi-lateral
fields.
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During the two-day conference foreign ministers and representatives
of the 22 Arab states discussed political and economic
collaboration with China.
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The meeting made it clear that "building a new partnership" is the
direction of future China-Arab relations, Li said at a joint news
conference with Moussa and Mohammad Hussain Al Sha'ali, current
president of the Council of the Arab League.
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"Looking back we can summarize the 50 years of Sino-Arab relations
as mutual trust, mutual benefit and mutual assistance," Li
said.
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Echoing Li, Sha'ali said cooperation with China was conducive to
development in Arab countries and the stability and prosperity of
the whole region.
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A plan on environmental cooperation and a memorandum of
understanding for a meeting between Chinese and Arab entrepreneurs
were also signed.
Responding to a question about the conflict between Palestinians
and Israelis, Moussa urged Hamas to recognize the Arab peace
initiative and said the conflict should be resolved through
political negotiations.
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On Wednesday, Palestinian Foreign Minister Mahmud al-Zahar told the
forum that the Palestinian government would study the Arab peace
initiative with a "serious and positive attitude" in an attempt to
find a just solution to the conflict.
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(China Daily June 2, 2006)