On the morning of June 10, the opening ceremony of the 26th Arab Officials Seminar, organized by the China-Arab Research Center on Reform and Development (hereinafter referred to as the Center), was held at the Songjiang Campus of Shanghai International Studies University (SISU). This seminar marks the first-ever seminar for Bahraini officials, with 18 participants from ministries such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Industry and Commerce of Bahrain attending the program in China. Yin Dongmei, Chair of the Center’s Council and Party Secretary of SISU, attended the ceremony.
The opening ceremony was hosted by Wang Guangda, Secretary-General of the Center. Representatives from the Chinese Embassy in Bahrain, the China-Arab Research Center on Reform and Development, the School of Oriental Languages, and Institute of Silk Road Strategy Studies were also present at the ceremony.
Yin Dongmei delivered a speech at the opening ceremony. On behalf of the China-Arab Research Center on Reform and Development and SISU, she extended a warm welcome to the Bahraini participants. She noted that last year, His Majesty King Hamad of Bahrain paid a state visit to China and attended the opening ceremony of the 10th Ministerial Conference of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum. During the visit, China and Bahrain agreed to establish a comprehensive strategic partnership. With solid political mutual trust as a foundation, bilateral cooperation continues to advance to higher levels across various sectors. In recent years, China-Bahrain financial cooperation has deepened, providing strong support for trade and investment. This seminar presents a new opportunity for both sides to promote pragmatic cooperation in an all-round manner.
Bader Saad, Director of the Registration Directorate at the Ministry of Industry and Commerce of Bahrain, spoke on behalf of the participants. He expressed gratitude to the Chinese side for organizing the first seminar for Bahraini officials. He pointed out that this year marks the first anniversary of the establishment of the comprehensive strategic partnership between Bahrain and China—an important milestone in bilateral relations. China has remained Bahrain’s third-largest trading partner and largest source of imports for many years. Bahrain hopes to deepen cooperation with China in areas such as manufacturing and renewable energy. Both sides will continue to work together to tackle challenges and set an example of South-South cooperation.
This seminar is the 26th session of the Center’s Arab officials Seminar, having cumulatively trained 621 mid- to high-level officials from Arab countries. Over the course of the seven-day program, Bahraini officials will engage in in-depth discussions on topics such as the development of Shanghai as an international financial center, Chinese modernization and China-Arab cooperation in exploring modernization paths, and strategic reflections on the restructuring of global manufacturing and the high-quality development of China’s manufacturing sector. Participants will also conduct field visits to the headquarters of SPD Bank to gain insights into innovation in China’s financial sector; visit the Site of the First National Congress of the Communist Party of China to reflect on the Party’s century-long journey; take part in the “Approaching the National People’s Congress” activity to experience China's democratic political development up close; and visit the Yangtze River Delta G60 Sci-Tech Innovation Corridor Exhibition Hall to learn about regional high-quality integrated development practices. In addition, the program includes an inspection tour to Hangzhou, where participants will experience China’s high-tech and high-quality development firsthand.