On December 3, 2018, a four-member Qatar mainstream media delegation headed by Muhammad Ali Yusuf visited the China-Arab Research Center on Reform and Development (CARC). The friendly talks were held at the International Conference Center of Hongkou Campus of SISU. Gao Youzhen, Former Chinese Ambassador to Qatar; Professor Zhu Weilie, Director of the Expert Committee of the Center; Li Weijian,Vice President of the China Middle East Institute, Researcher of the Shanghai Institute of International Studies; Professor Wang Youyong, Deputy Director of the Center; Ding Jun, Middle East Research Institute Researcher; Associate Professor Chen Yueyang from the SISU Oriental Language Institute attended this talks. The talks were presided over by Professor Wang Guangda, Secretary-General and the Executive Director of CARC.
At the meeting, the two sides had in-depth discussions on topics such as Current Geopolitical Changes in the Gulf region”, Implementation and Challenges of Qatar's 2030 National Vision, “China-Qatar Bilateral Relations, China's Reform and Opening up and the Construction of ‘Belt and Road’ initiative”, “Chinese Muslims and Islam”. The Qatar side outlined the government's efforts in economic and social development since the crisis of the Gulf, and hoped to promote reform and development like China under the framework of Qatar's 2030 National Vision and the “Belt and Road” initiative to achieve mutual benefit and win-win results. Chinese experts said that the current primary issue in Gulf region is development. The Arab countries should set aside their disputes, unite and work together for a better cooperation and development. The base of bilateral cooperation between China and Qatar is to enhance mutual understanding, seek consensus at the conceptual level, and implement reform and development through concrete actions.
The Qatar delegation consists of mainstream media from Qatar News Agency, Peninsula Media Group, New Arab and Road Race. The Qatar side expressed heartfelt gratitude to the Center for the warm reception and sincere exchanges, hoped to strengthen cooperation with the Center and expected the Center to actively interact with the Qatar government, think tanks, academic and media organizations in political, cultural and academic fields to make a greater contribution in China-Qatar friendly exchanges.