The China-Arab States Cooperation Forum promotes the common positions of both China and the Arab world on the political solution of regional hotspot issues, dialogue among civilizations, global governance, counter-terrorism, human rights, artificial intelligence, climate change, etc.
We will find that on the official website of the (China-Arab Cooperation Forum) at Beijing, that China seeks to highlight its point of view towards resolving the Palestinian issue, through (devoting the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence and working together to build a community with a shared future for mankind), which was explicitly confirmed and referred to by the President of the People’s Republic of China “Xi Jinping” at the conference commemorating the 70th anniversary of the issuance of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, on June 28, 2024. Here, the Chinese leadership put forward for the first time to President “Xi Jinping” the five principles in all their dimensions, which include: (mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, non-aggression, non-interference in internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit, and peaceful coexistence), as a solid guarantee for resolving the Palestinian issue and all political conflicts around the world.
Through the China-Arab Cooperation Forum, the importance of President Xi Jinping’s Chinese concept of “building a community with a shared future for mankind” and the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence comes, as they are of the same origin, as they are both rooted in the distinctive Chinese traditional culture that calls for good neighborliness, keeping promises, and harmony between countries. They both embody the advantage of Chinese diplomacy, which is characterized by self-confidence, independence, adherence to justice, helping the weak, and supporting the truth. They both reflect the global ambition of the Chinese Communists and their ruling Communist Party, regarding making new and greater contributions to humanity, and they both show China’s firm determination to follow the path of peaceful development. The “concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind” is the best inheritance, consecration, and promotion of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence under the new circumstances in the new era under the auspices of China.
We can highly understand that through the Beijing’s sought to strengthen its relations with the Arab countries in the recent years and it’s sponsorship in 2023 for (a rapprochement agreement between Tehran and Riyadh). In April 2024, Beijing hosted as well delegations from the Palestinian (Hamas and Fatah) movements to hold “in-depth and frank talks on supporting reconciliation among the Palestinians,” in addition to hosting leaders and representatives from all the warring Palestinian factions in the Chinese capital, Beijing, in July 2024 to bring about reconciliation between them under Chinese auspices and unify their ranks.
What caught my attention the most during the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum meeting in May 2024 was the speech of Chinese President “Xi Jinping” in his opening speech at the forum, and President Xi’s call for a peace conference to end the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip, and expressed his support for a “large-scale” peace conference to resolve the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. He stressed that “the Middle East is a land with broad prospects for development; but war is raging, war must not last indefinitely and justice must not be absent forever”. On the economic front, the Chinese President “Xi Jinping” praised the “deep sense of affinity” with the Arab world, and the friendship between China and the Chinese people and Arab countries and peoples stems from friendly exchanges along the ancient Silk Road, during the speech of “Xi Jinping” in his opening remarks at the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum in May 2024, and the confirmation of President “Xi” that: “China will continue to strengthen strategic cooperation with the Arab side in the fields of oil and gas, and integrate supply security with market security”, according to “Xi”, through the text of his speech published by the Chinese Foreign Ministry, with the Xi’s stress that: “China is ready to work with the Arab side in the research and development of modern energy technology and equipment production”.
The importance of the China-Arab Cooperation Forum comes in serving Arab and Middle Eastern issues, in addition to China’s pivotal role through it to stop the bloodshed in the Gaza Strip and call on all warring Palestinian factions in the Chinese capital, Beijing, to unite their ranks and abandon their differences under China’s auspices. China also played a major role through the (China-Arab Cooperation Forum) in calling for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, and working to reach a settlement of the Palestinian issue on the basis of the two-state solution, stopping the war, and opposing the forced displacement of the Palestinian people. The 10th Ministerial Conference of the China-Arab Cooperation Forum adopted the “Beijing Declaration”, the 2024-2026 Forum Implementation Plan, and a joint statement between China and Arab countries on the Palestinian issue. During the sessions of the China-Arab Cooperation Forum, China also signed a number of bilateral and multilateral cooperation documents with participating countries and the General Secretariat of the League of Arab States. With the comprehensive Chinese-Arab consensus on deep concern over the protracted conflict in Gaza, which has led to a humanitarian crisis. He stressed the firm position and important consensus of the Chinese and Arab sides in calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, ensuring the delivery of humanitarian aid, opposing the forced displacement of the Palestinian people, supporting Palestine’s full membership in the United Nations, and working steadfastly for an early settlement of the Palestinian issue on the basis of the two-state solution.
China seeks to support all Arab countries, especially Palestine, by encouraging them to establish more forums and entities to support the countries of the Global South. The Arab countries in the China-Arab Cooperation Forum are at the forefront of the countries of the Global South. In order to better support the cooperation of the “Global South”, the Chinese side is currently seeking to support the (Study Center for the “Global South”), which will provide 1,000 scholarships under the “Excellence Scholarship for the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence”, and 100,000 study and training opportunities for the countries of the “Global South” in the next five years, with the launch of the Young Pioneers Program from the “Global South”. The Chinese side will continue to activate the role of (the China-United Nations Fund for Peace and Development, the Global Development Fund, South-South Cooperation, and the South-South Cooperation Fund on Climate Change, and cooperate with relevant parties to establish the “Model Center for Trilateral Cooperation” to Implement the Global Development Initiative), in order to support the economic development of the countries of the ”Global South”. The Chinese side will extend the South-South Cooperation Fund, in a way that serves the interests of the Arab countries and everyone, in accordance with the slogan of Chinese President “Xi Jinping” about “a shared future for mankind”.
Through the previous analysis, we understand China’s role in preserving and sponsoring peace and the Palestinian cause, bringing together the various conflicting Palestinian factions and renouncing their differences, and China’s call for an international peace conference to resolve the Palestinian issue, in addition to China’s pivotal role in the United Nations and all international forums to call for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, through (the Chinese Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence), which are the same principles that were set in the Chinese constitution a long time ago, and which laid the foundation stone for China’s independent peaceful foreign policy. Accordingly, China is currently seeking to strongly advance the Palestinian cause by adopting Chinese peace conferences and initiatives, a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, and the Chinese capital “Beijing” hosting a conference of all Palestinian factions, in addition to China playing a major role through the “China-Arab Cooperation Forum” in resolving all conflicts in the Middle East region, achieving rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Tehran, and resolving differences between all Palestinian factions and movements under Chinese sponsorship in particular.
