Recently, Kyle Dibat, a professor at the School of International Relations at Qatar University, said that the Belt and Road Initiative will help deepen the friendship and cooperation between the Middle East and China, and Arab countries are full of enthusiasm for the initiative. The article pointed out that the ancient Silk Road connected China and Middle Eastern countries. Against this historical background, the particularity of the Middle East to China is self-evident. Since the early 1990s, the two sides have continued to deepen economic cooperation based on common interests and interdependence.

China and the Middle East continue to deepen cooperation

As a rising economic power, China's growing influence in the United Nations Security Council has brought hope to Middle Eastern countries. As we all know, China maintains a multi-polar world and promotes the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. In view of this, countries in the Middle East expect China and the EU to play a greater role in the global economy, thereby balancing the United States. At the same time, Arab countries are well aware of the importance to China of their geostrategic position in global trade. The Arab countries are the intersection of Asia, Africa and Europe, sitting on the Strait of Hormuz, the Mandeb Strait and the Suez Canal, and their geographical location is very important.

The main unit of the largest refinery in the Middle East was fully completed, undertaken by Sinopec

China attaches great importance to Arab countries and continues to deepen cooperation and increase investment under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative. It is also worth noting that these countries are critical to China's energy security.

The Middle East strongly supports the Belt and Road Initiative

Middle Eastern countries and China have signed a number of agreements and memorandums under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, hoping to become an important strategic, logistics and economic center in the region and the world through relevant cooperation. In 2022, the trade volume between China and Middle Eastern countries will reach 507.152 billion US dollars, which may be enough to reflect the Middle East's interest in the Belt and Road Initiative. In fact, China has established strategic partnerships with many Middle Eastern countries in many fields, and achieved mutual benefit and win-win results through enhanced cooperation.

At present, China has established comprehensive strategic partnerships or strategic partnerships with 12 Arab countries, and signed Belt and Road cooperation documents with 21 Arab countries and the Arab League. In addition, 17 Arab countries have supported global development initiatives, 15 have become members of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, and 14 have participated in the China-Arab Data Security Cooperation Initiative.

The Belt and Road Initiative has significant advantages and will surely benefit Middle Eastern countries. For example, the initiative can promote investment and cooperation, promote the development of infrastructure, improve transportation services, and build commercial logistics centers. In addition, the China-Arab cooperation project will strengthen the commercial, customs and financial ties between the two sides, thereby deepening security cooperation.

Arab countries support increased trade with developing countries, especially China. The Arab countries look forward to becoming an important strategic and economic center in the region and the world, and the Belt and Road Initiative is of great help to this. Editor/He Yuting