Your Majesties, Excellencies, and Highnesses,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

At the outset, I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to the leadership, government, and people of the People’s Republic of China for their generous hospitality and warm reception. I am grateful for their ongoing commitment and great dedication to fostering friendly and cooperative relations with the League of Arab States and its member states, characterised by respect and openness. We are particularly thankful for China’s gracious initiative to host the 10th session of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum in its capital, Beijing.

China has an illustrious presence in world history that we deeply respect and appreciate. Its profound influence on the world's present and future is evident and highly valued. Moreover, China's experience in achieving renaissance and progress is greatly admired in our Arab world.

Today, we celebrate the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum, founded in 2004 in Cairo. This forum marked a significant milestone in the history of relations between the two sides, placing these relations within a comprehensive institutional framework, thus ensuring their development and future potential. Since its inception, the Forum has become a success story in international multilateral cooperation, evidenced by the various mechanisms, memorandums, and frameworks it has produced to facilitate cooperation across political, economic, social, and development fields.

The qualitative shift in Arab-Chinese relations was marked by the first Arab-Chinese summit in 2022, held in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This summit signalled the beginning of a pivotal phase in the history of relations between the Arab world and the People’s Republic of China. The outcomes and agreements from this summit laid a strong foundation for mutual benefit, and we are committed to continuing efforts to implement them. On this occasion, I call on both sides to consider the possibility of institutionalising the Arab-China summit to hold sessions regularly. This would enhance the progress made and allow for the continuous monitoring and development of joint cooperation programmes.

In the same vein, both sides have worked diligently to implement all cooperation activities outlined in the executive programme of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum. These activities span numerous fields, including trade, investment, energy, technology transfer, satellite navigation, libraries and information, culture and dialogue of civilisations, media, youth, and human resources development, among others.

I urge the continued expansion and deepening of this practical cooperation through existing mechanisms, and the development of new mechanisms that align with the vast and promising prospects for cooperation between Arab countries and China. This potential is reflected in the dramatic increase in trade volume between the two sides, which soared from $36.4 billion when the forum was established in 2004 to approximately $400 billion in 2023. During these years, China has become one of the largest trading partners of Arab countries.

I would also like to acknowledge the Belt and Road Initiative proposed by His Excellency Chinese President Xi Jinping. This initiative has added a significant building block to the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum, based on mutual interests. It offers broad opportunities for cooperation, particularly in infrastructure, trade, and investment. We are witnessing the implementation of numerous large-scale development projects in Arab countries within the framework of this initiative.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The ongoing aggression against Gaza for more than eight months marks a turning point in our region's history. There is a deep sense of frustration over the international community's inability to halt this massacre. Thirty-five thousand people have been martyred, most of them women and children, and the cities of the Gaza Strip are no longer livable, with the infrastructure almost completely destroyed. This occurs amidst an international paralysis, raising questions about the credibility of the so-called “rules-based international order”—the credibility of international law and humanitarian law when a state places itself above them. The immediate cessation of this brutal war is crucial not only to save the lives of Palestinians, who are on the brink of famine, but also to preserve human conscience and the principles of morality, justice, and law.

We value China's role and steadfast support for the just cause of the Palestinian people, their right to self-determination, and the establishment of their independent state. We look forward to an even greater Chinese role, especially as a permanent member of the Security Council, in reinforcing the international consensus on the two-state solution and making it a reality. This should lead to a reliable and irreversible path to establishing an independent Palestinian state along the 4 June 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The League of Arab States and its member states aim to enhance regional stability by working to contain existing crises, settle them peacefully, and reduce escalation through balanced relations with neighbouring countries based on the principle of non-interference in internal affairs and mutual respect. We welcome the positive roles of international powers that adopt these goals, including China, which played a significant role in facilitating the agreement between Riyadh and Tehran in March 2023, leading to a reduction in regional tensions.

We also reaffirm the League’s position in supporting China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, maintaining a firm commitment to the one-China principle.

In conclusion, the League of Arab States is committed to making all efforts to build a promising future for both Arab and Chinese societies as we move towards a new era. We aim to advance the strategic partnership between the Arab countries and the People’s Republic of China for a better future, strengthening mechanisms of joint cooperation and finding political solutions to issues of mutual concern on regional and international fronts.

We look forward to holding the 11th session of the forum at the ministerial level in the Republic of Tunisia, and the second Arab-Chinese summit in 2026 in the People’s Republic of China, followed by the third summit in Kuwait, as stipulated in the decision of the Bahrain summit. This important relationship must continuously and steadily move forward for the benefit of the people in China and the Arab world, and for the benefit of all humanity.

Peace, mercy, and blessings of God be upon you.