Main Manifestations, Causes and Prospect of Leapfrog Development of China-Arab Relations in the New Era

Dong Manyuan

Since their beginning in the 1950s, China-Arab relations have gone through stages of getting to know each other, rectifying cognition, gradually expanding friendly exchanges, steadily advancing bilateral relations and starting strategic cooperation.All of these stages laid a solid foundation for in-depth development of China-Arab friendly cooperation in the new era.From the 18th CPC National Congress on, guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy,major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics has forged ahead in the Middle East and promoted steady development of China-Arab relations.To build a China-Arab community with a shared future facing the new era, in line with trend of our times and common interests of the people of China and Arab countries,will enable the two great civilizations to complement one another and make unique contributions to the cause of human progress.

MAIN MANIFESTATIONS OF LEAPFROG DEVELOPMENT OF CHINA-ARAB RELATIONS IN THE NEW ERA

The turmoil in West Asia and North Africa has exacerbated the peace and development deficits in the Arab world,and the long-held Middle East policy of the United States (US) has harmed the interests of Arab countries and dragged out their revitalization.China’s investment in the Middle East has continued to increase and boost Arab countries’expansion of self-determination.In making efforts to ease the peace, development and governance deficits, Arab countries put more trust on China,raising expectations and increasing cooperation.China regards the Arab countries as mutually beneficial peace,development and civilization partners,and has implemented a series of strategic measures to deepen friendship and cooperation with Arab countries.The successful China-Arab “Three-Ring Summit” in December 2022 marked the elevation of bilateral relations to a new height, specifically in the following aspects.

First, China-Arab political relations increasingly deepen.All of the 22 Arab countries pursue a policy of friendship with China, having formed high-degree of political mutual trust.Arab countries admire China’s achievements, especially that of the fight against poverty, are willing to exchange governance experience with China, and give top priority to developing bilateral relations.Thirteen of the Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia and Egypt, have established strategic partnership with China, and the League of Arab States has established Arab-China strategic partnership featuring comprehensive cooperation, common development facing the future.China and Arab countries mutually support each other with core national interests and major concerns of one another.China staunchly supports Arab countries in their independently choosing political system and development path suitable to their national conditions,their expanding strategic autonomy,and their restoring unity and commitment to collective revitalization.China supports the Palestinian people in restoring their legitimate national rights, supports Arab countries in their struggle against interference in their internal affairs by forces in and outside the region, their struggle against“islamophobia”, and joins them in the common efforts against the double standards of the West on democracy,human rights and anti-terrorism.Arab countries have withstood pressure and spoken up for justice on the questions relating to China Taiwan, Xinjiang, Hong Kong, democracy, human rights and counter-terrorism.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and other leaders of 21 Arab League countries and Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit and other heads of international organizations attend the first China-Arab States Summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, December 9, 2022.

Second, China and Arab countries have forged a relationship featuring mutual economic dependence, mutual assistance, and mutual benefit.To carry out equal and mutually beneficial cooperation with Arab countries,to boost the regional development and to benefit the people of Arab countries is one of the main objectives of China’s cooperation with Arab countries.By the end of 2022, twentyone of the Arab countries and the League of Arab States signed the Belt and Road cooperation documents with China, aiming to align their own development strategies with the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).Arab countries are generally supportive of China’s Global Development Initiative (GDI).Twelve of the Arab countries joined the Group of Friends of the GDI, and 16 of Arab countries joined the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank(AIIB).China has become the largest trading partner of 12 Arab countries,powerfully boosting economic development of both sides.In the Belt and Road cooperation, Chinese enterprises have contracted more than 1,300 key projects in Arab countries.China and Arab countries have forged a relationship featuring mutual assistance, mutual benefit and mutual dependence in development domain.

Third, Arab countries have significantly increased their trust in China and raised their expectations for China, becoming more willing to ease the situation in the Middle East by working with it.China has always firmly upheld the international system with the United Nations at its core, the international order based on international law and the basic norms governing international relations based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, which is highly appreciated by Arab states.China pursues true multilateralism, opposes unilateralism and hegemonism, and speaks up for Arab countries in defense of fairness and justice.Judging by merits and demerits residing in given matters, China participates in efforts for peaceful resolution to hotspot issues in the Middle East in a constructive way, considering reasonable concerns of parties involved, promoting peace through dialogue, and making Arab countries feel being treated objectively and fairly, and thus increase their trust in China.Arab countries actively respond to China’s Global Security Initiative (GSI), wish China to play a key role on issues related to Palestine,Yemen, and Sudan, and are willing to accept China’s mediation on relations between countries having difference.China’s successful mediation for the resumption of diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran is highly spoken of by all Arab countries.They hope to apply the mediation model to other regional hotspot issues so as to further ease tensions in the Middle East situation.

Fourth, China’s soft power increasingly works in the Arab world.China’s national image showcased in its cultural heritage, economic miracle, poverty reduction, institutional effectiveness, and international contributions as well as the Global Civilization Initiative (GCI) proposed in 2023 are generally recognized in the Arab world.During the COVID-19 outbreak, China provided sizable assistance to the Arab countries, including vaccines, medical teams and other anti-epidemic supplies.Such act of delivering timely help was highly appreciated by governments and societies of Arab countries.The concepts of international exchanges advocated and pursued by China, including mutual respect, all countries large or small being equal, and non-interference in each other’s internal affairs are highly recognized and supported by Arab countries.Just as the “hard connectivity” of the Belt and Road construction reflect China’s honesty and trustworthiness, being pragmatic and efficient,and being down-to-earth, and even more importantly the “soft connectivity” like people-to-people bonds between China and the Arab world, have raised popularity of China among the people of Arab countries.From the perspective of cultural exchanges,Arab countries have actively set up Confucius Institutes or Chinese studies in college programs.Over the past decade and more, tens of thousands of Arab youth have studied in China.There is sound basis for sustainable development of cultural exchanges and people-to-people bonds between China and the Arab world.

FAVORABLE CONDITIONS FOR LEAPFROG DEVELOPMENT OF CHINAARAB RELATIONS IN THE NEW ERA

Sound development of China-Arab relations in the new era is driven by various internal and external factors and become an important part of changes of the world, of our times and of history, having a profound impact on the Middle East in reorganization of the regional forces, pattern stratigic, and orientation of future development.

First, the US has continued to reduce its input in the Middle East to the detriment of its credibility, and become less able to control the strategic choice of its regional partners.The track record of the US attempting to control the Middle East alone shows that the greater its input of resources,the greater its leading role in the regional affairs, and vice versa.From the Obama administration on, the US concentrated it resources to pivot to the Asia-Pacific that led to strategic retrenchment in the Middle East.During the Trump administration, under the banner of “America First”, the US not only asked its regional partners to contribute to a “safer US”, but also significantly reduced its input in the Middle East, being indifferent to the security concerns of its regional partners, and totally neglected its partners in economic distress.Since the Bidenadministration took office, the US has tried to maintain its influence in the Middle East at the lowest cost for prioritizing its Indo-Pacific strategy and great power competition, with its input of resources in the Middle East hitting a new low since the Cold War ended.

On August 1, 2023, the “Panda’s Home - Aba Pure Land” Cultural Tourism Promotion Conference was held at the Chinese Cultural Center in Cairo, Egypt.

Second, Arab countries have gradually returned to the pursuit of development, and sought rejuvenation through multi-party cooperation.After the turmoil in West Asia and North Africa in 2011, the severely damaged Arab countries made profound reflections and came to see development as the master key to cracking all kinds of challenges.Except a few war-torn countries, almost all of the Arab countries have returned to the theme of development, hoping to stabilize popular support, keep the regimes safe, and alleviate security pressure from within and without.Relying on their own strategic endowment, more and more Arab countries have begun to play an important role in transforming the regional pattern.At the same time,driven by global green transition and green development, the Arab world has made substantial readjustments to the economy, trade, investment,infrastructure, relations between supply and demand for oil and gas, direction of extending production, supply,consumption and value chain, export distribution of bulk raw materials,and capacity of land-sea trade corridor, all of which leads to renewal of economic landscapes where China is the main external thrust.Saudi Arabia,the United Arab Emirates and Egypt have come up with their respective medium-term development visions.Relying on their influence on global oil-gas supply and demand chain and pricing, and leveraging their comparative advantage in geoeconomics and geopolitics, they wish to achieve their development goals through multiparty cooperation.

Passengers prepare at the gate to board a newly launched direct flight to Beijing at King Abdulaziz International Airport on August 4, 2023 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Third, China has an obvious advantage in its comprehensive national strength to facilitate transition of Arab countries, whereas development prospect of the Arab world is more and more closely related to that of China.Arab countries look up to China’s economic strength, market space,cooperation efficiency and credibility, and are ready to align their own development strategies with the BRI.Arab countries focus on cooperation with China so as to be integrated into Asia’s group cooperation with other Asian economies, which not only give sustainable impetus to China-Arab cooperation, but also effectively buffer US obstruction to China-Arab cooperation.As replacing traditional economic model with a green, digital and AI model is included in mediumand long-term development visions of Arab countries, the GCI is very well received by those countries.With historical tradition and cultural logic standing for Chinese civilization and Arab civilizations complementing one another, people-to-people bonds and cultural exchanges are widely popular.

Fourth, changes in the geopolitical environment have made it difficult for the US to suppress China-Arab cooperation.In recent years, Russia has become more closely linked with Iran and Türkiye in the Middle East, standing up against the US as an equal on the regional hotspot issues.In spite of historical grievances and current stage discord existing among Russia, Iran and Türkiye, all three countries have more profound contradictions with the US.The long lasting and complex Ukraine issue has also affected US global strategic deployment and allocation of resources to certain degree.To safeguard its own interests, Europe has differences from the US policies on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the Iranian nuclear talks.As China’s urging for dialogue fits its interest,Europe may not be all that cooperative with the US in the Middle East.India and Iran have upgraded cooperation in ports, energy, economic relations and trade, producing a broken windows effect on US sanctions against Iran.

BRIGHT PROSPECT FOR BUILDING A CHINA-ARAB COMMUNITY WITH A SHARED FUTURE FACING THE NEW ERA

In December 2022, the China-Arab Three-Ring Summit came up with the Riyadh Declaration of the First China-Arab States Summit, the Joint Statement at the Conclusion of the Saudi-Chinese Summit, and the Statement of Riyadh Summit for Cooperation and Development between the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the People’s Republic of China, deciding to jointly elevate bilateral relations to a higher level on the basis of strategic cooperation, and to open up a bright future for China-Arab relations.As strategic opportunities for China-Arab interaction ought to continuously emerge, the prospect for a China-Arab community with a shared future will become even brighter.

On November 3, 2023, at Abu Dhabi’s Zayed Port, officers and soldiers of the Chinese Navy’s 44th escort formation wave goodbye to the cheering crowd at the pier.

First, China-Arab political mutual trust continues to deepen.Both sides will actively coordinate on safeguarding their respective institutional security and choice of development path.With both sides facing threats to their own institutional security and choice of path, China and Arab countries set great store by maintaining institutional security, and cherish the choice of path suitable to their respective national conditions.As both sides mutually respect and understand one another, China and Arab countries will continue to strengthen cooperation oppose interference in their internal affairs, lining-up by ideology and double standards, and safeguard institutional security and choice of path.Safeguarding institutional security and choice of path is the key area and key content of China-Arab strategic cooperation.By enhancing strategic partnership, both sides will continue to improve the capacity of bilateral cooperation in this field.The Three-Ring Summit embodies the strategic choice of China and Arab countries to strengthen unity and coordination to meet global challenges, which will lead China-Arab States, China-Saudi Arabia, and China-GCC relations into a new era of all-round development.This will surely have a far-reaching impact on international landscapes and regional situation.

Second, in promoting common development, advancing a multi-polar world and upholding international fairness and justice, China and Arab countries increasingly become mutually dependable partners.The rise of the Arab world is the dream of all Arab countries and Arab peoples.China considers the rise of the Arab world an important part of the collective rise of developing countries, whereas the Arab world also supports China in realizing the great cause of national rejuvenation.President Xi made an important speech at the First China-Arab States Summit, proposing that China will work with the Arab side to advance the “Eight Major Common Actions”, including common development, food security, health, green innovation, energy security, dialogue among civilizations, training young talents, security and stability, just like a house with “4 beams and 8 columns” for China-Arab practical cooperation.Both sides are committed to deepen their strategic partnership for peace and development, with huge potentials for future cooperation.

Third, the wave of reconciliation in the relations among Middle East countries has lasting resilience, and gives impetus to building a China-Arab community with a shared future.The steady development of China-Arab relations requires a favorable environment for regional security, development and cooperation, whereas the wave of reconciliation in the Middle East triggered by China’s mediation for the resumption of diplomatic ties between Saudi Arabia and Iran significantly improves the regional environment.The wave of reconciliation is not a temporary phenomenon, but a long-term trend.Seeking autonomy is a long-term strategic choice for the regional countries reaching that goal.For they need economic, trade and security cooperation through reconciliation, and to enhance their ability to resist external interference.The wave of reconciliation is moving and will continue to move along four paths.Saudi Arabia and Iran have added sustainable impetus to reconciliation.Bahrain and Egypt among other countries have eased their relations with Iran.Availing themselves of the opportunity of Syria’s return to the Arab League, more Arab countries have improved their ties with the country.Türkiye has eased relations with Saudi Arabia and Egypt.

CONCLUSION

It is of great strategic significance for China-Arab relations to continue to elevate to higher levels in jointly building a community with a shared future.Both China and Arab countries face the historical task of achieving national rejuvenation and accelerating national development.Under the new circumstances, China will work with Arab countries to carry forward the spirit of friendship, jointly building a China-Arab community with a shared future facing the new era.Looking to the future, both sides should be guided by the concept of a China-Arab community with a shared future, continue to consolidate cooperation in politics and economy,security and defense, and cultural exchanges, keep injecting impetus to new development of bilateral relations, and promote solutions to regional hotspot issues, so as to promote the establishment of a fair and equitable international order, and build a new type of international relations.