FM Medelci: “China-Arab Cooperation Forum at cruising speed”

Algerian Foreign Minister Mourad Medelci, who is to attend the Fifth Ministerial Conference of China-Arab Cooperation Forum in Tunisia, has expressed Algeria’s full support for this forum, which is developing at “cruising speed”, as he put it.

• In a statement to Xinhua on the eve of the broad-based meeting scheduled for May 31, Medelci said “this forum has now reached a cruising speed” after the four previous ministerial meetings, which have witnessed the holding of the dialogue on civilizations as well as a series of consultation meetings on different sectors of activity, including energy, trade, communication and environment”.

• “Algeria supports the actions taken in this framework” which ” has become an important forum for dialogue and consultation, but also a reflection and conception framework (that is) able to support the development and expansion of cooperation between China and the Arab world on the basis of a mutually beneficial solidarity,” the minister noted.

• Comparing the Sino-Arab forum with the old Silk Road, one of the bridges between Chinese and Arabic civilizations, Mr Medelci said that the creation of the forum responds to “a common will to move towards a multipolar world which is more open to dialogue and international consultation.”

• Since the birth of the forum in 2004, cooperation between China and Arab countries has allowed the two sides to reach a convergence of views on many international issues, including the shared commitment to the principle of non-interference in internal affairs of states, the respect for others’ sovereignty and territorial integrity, and the promotion of peace and security, especially in the Middle East, Medelci explained.

• Economically, Mr Medelci hailed the fact that trade between the two sides has doubled compared to the target of 100 billion U.S. dollars set during the first forum.

• Mr Medelci highly appreciated the solidarity shown by China with Arab countries and the contribution it has offered to “support the efforts of our countries within their respective strategies of economic development.”

• Regarding the means to “deepen strategic cooperation and promote common development,” which is the theme of the forum, he laid emphasis on technology transfer, describing it as “an essential vector for sustainable development.”

• He cited, among others, the information and communications technology as a priority sector, an area in which “China has accumulated some enormous experience and mastery.”

• The Fifth China-Arab Cooperation Forum, which comprises a ministerial conference that follows a meeting of senior officials, is held in Hammamet, Tunisia, with foreign ministers from 17 Arab countries in attendance.