Arab-Sino forum's ministerial meeting opens in Beijing

The 8th session of the ministerial meeting of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum (CASCF) kick-started in the Chinese capital, Beijing, on Tuesday.

His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, accompanied by an official delegation, is participating in the opening session of the gathering as a guest of honor at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping.

The conferees will mainly discuss ways of further promoting and developing Arab-Sino cooperative relations in various fields, mainly the economic domain.

The event will be addressed by the Chinese leader, His Highness the Amir, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir whose country holds the current rotating presidency of the Arab League.

The ministerial meeting will produce three significant documents; Beijing Declaration, Executive Program for the Forum (2018-2019) and Arab-Chinese Executive Declaration for the Belt and Road Initiative.

In 2004, China and the Arab League, whose 22 members have all established diplomatic relations with China, formally launched the forum.

The Belt and Road Initiative is a main issue of the forum's agenda.

The initiative, proposed by China in 2013, refers to the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, which aim at building a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along the ancient trade routes of the Silk Road.

Arab-Sino trade exchange jumped to around USD 191 billion in 2017 from USD 37 billion previously, making China the Arab world's second key trade partner.

His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah arrived in Beijing last Saturday for a state official visit, where he attended the signing of seven agreements and MoUs in various fields.