Arab Envoys to China Visited the Sino-Arab Reform and Development Research Center(CARC): Sincere Friendship Promotes Reform and Development
On December 7, Arab envoys to China visited CARC at Songjiang Campus of Shanghai International Studies University(SHISU). The delegation was composed of 18 members, including the ambassadors of 17 Arab countries to China and the head of the Arab League's Representative office in China. The delegation was headed by H.E. Turki Al-Madi, Saudi Ambassador and the chief of the Arab missions to China. The delegation was accompanied by Chinese leaders such as Wang Di, Director of the Asia-Africa Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Counsellor Hua Xin, and Fu Jihong, Deputy Director of the Shanghai Municipal Foreign Affairs Office.
During the discussion and exchange session, Jiang Feng, Honorary CARC Board Chairman and Party Secretary of SHISU, on behalf of CARC and the university, warmly welcomed the delegation. Jiang Feng pointed out that SHISU has been committed to training outstanding international talents on languages, nationals and specialized fields for both sides. CARC, co-sponsored by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Education and the Shanghai Municipal Government, has been established for three years to continuously promote exchanges and mutual learning between Chinese and Arab civilizations, and is committed to providing a platform and intellectual support for the exchange of experience in country governance and reform and development between China and Arabs. We look forward to further enriching cooperation in the fields of talent training and cultural exchanges, building a new bridge between China and Arabs in friendly relations, and contributing new forces to the co-construction of the Sino-Arab destiny community.
On behalf of the Arab guests, H.E. Turki Al-Madi, Saudi Ambassador to China, thanked the Chinese side for arranging this important academic trip and commended CARC for its training of more than 300 Arab officials and scholars so that they can understand and learn from Chinese wisdom and Chinese experience at close range, which provides a comprehensive exchange and interaction platform for both sides, and is beneficial to both sides to explore a broader prospect of Sino-Arab development.
Li Yansong, CARC Board Chairman and SHISU president, presided over the discussion and exchange, and introduced the next stage of the work of CARC on the four major platforms of courses training, talent training, think tank research, and cultural exchange. He said that the epidemic makes us realize that human destiny and communion are not only truth, but also the inevitable direction of human future development. The establishment and development of CARC carries the good expectations of the Chinese and Arab peoples and shoulders the glorious mission of providing more intellectual support for both sides. We look forward to working hand in hand to make the center bigger and stronger , further deepen Sino-Arab friendly relations, and push bilateral cooperation to a new level.
In the interactive period, the envoys spoke freely about the experience of China-Arab reform and development, the cultural exchanges between China and Arabs, and put forward suggestions and opinions on the construction of CARC from many aspects. They fully affirmed the mutual support and close cooperation between China and Arab countries since the outbreak of the pandemic, and believed that Sino-Arab friendship has a long history and great potential for future cooperation. At the same time, they appreciated that CARC has promoted the development of bilateral relations with tangible scientific research results and training, and hoped that in future, CARC will play a greater role in providing intellectual support for the decision-making of the leaders of both sides and making greater contributions to the development of bilateral and multilateral relations.
Professor Zhu Weili presided over the interactive session and said he looked forward to the Arab envoys in China becoming a positive force to actively promote the development of CARC, and to promote exchanges and cooperation between the two sides in various fields, such as security, health, development, and cultural exchanges.
SHISU Students Recited Arab Poetry and Performed Arab Dancing
Wang Di, director of the Asia-Africa Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, pointed out that CARC is an important exchange platform established under the framework of the Sino-Arab Cooperation Forum initiated by President Xi Jinping, which meets the needs of the reality and long-term development of Sino-Arab relations. Reform and development are the common and urgent tasks faced by China and Arab countries today. The cooperation of think tanks plays an increasingly important role in mutual exchanges and mutual learning between the two sides. China looks forward to working with the Arab side to make CARC important public goods and elite cooperation project under the framework of the Sino-Arab Cooperation Forum to better serve the common interests of both sides.
Before the exchange activities, the delegation first visited the CARC exhibition area. Wang Guangda, Secretary-General of the CARC Council and Executive Director, briefed on the development and construction of CARC in the past three years.
CARC is a new high-end think tank initiated and announced by President Xi Jinping. Since its establishment and located in SHISU from April 2017, the CARC has closely revolved around the overall requirements of building a community of destiny between China and Arab countries and promoting the construction of Belt and Road , and has made great efforts to become an important platform for integrating the functions of research and training, talent training, think-tank, external publicity and exchanges, and has already won some influence at home and abroad. On November 10, 2020, Assistant Foreign Minister Deng Li, in his speech at a collective meeting with Arab envoys in China, pointed out : CARC has been successfully built and is working as an effective platform for China-Arab exchange of experience in country governance.
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