Relations address ‘both sides’ desires’
China-Arab cooperation has diversified from energy into various areas such as trade, finance and investment and people-to-people exchanges over the past years, said the top Omani diplomat in Beijing.
“Since the establishment of the (China-Arab States Cooperation) forum in 2004, China-Arab relations have witnessed significant development and trade volume has increased rapidly,” said Abdullah Saleh Al-Saadi, the Omani ambassador.
“This indicates that we are on the right track of bringing this relationship to meet the desires of both sides,” he said.
China is the second-largest trading partner of Arab states, and two-way trade volume between them reached $191.34 billion last year, according to the Ministry of Commerce.
The ministerial meeting of the forum will focus on enhancing cooperation through joint projects, the ambassador said.
He said China-Arab cooperation will not be limited to energy, and that potential remains to be tapped in various areas, such as solar energy, tourism and even space exploration.
“I’m really optimistic about the outcome of the meeting,” he said.
Relations between China and Oman have seen great development in many areas since the establishment of diplomatic ties four decades ago.
In 2017, bilateral trade volume between China and Oman reached $15.53 billion, according to the Foreign Ministry.
Living and working in China for more than a decade, Abdullah Saleh Al-Saadi said he has witnessed the economic and social development in different Chinese provinces owing to the country’s reform and opening-up policy adopted 40 years ago.
“I’m really an admirer of this policy,” he said, noting that the policy has affected various areas of the whole country.