On March 31, the Dubai World Expo in the United Arab Emirates ended in a grand celebration. In half a year, nearly 200 national pavilions focused on the theme of “communicating ideas and creating the future”, showing the concepts and achievements of economic and social development, attracting more than 23 million tourists to visit offline and about 180 million global audiences to watch online. It is a movement of the intersection of civilizations and people’s hearts.
In his video speech for the China Pavilion at the Dubai World Expo, President Xi Jinping pointed out: “We are living in an era full of challenges and hope. Where should human society go? China proposes that people from all over the world work together to respond to the call of the times and strengthen global governance. , lead development with innovation, and move forward in the direction of building a community with a shared future for mankind.” As the first World Expo held in the Middle East, Expo Dubai carries the sincere desire of mankind to overcome the severe challenges of the new crown pneumonia epidemic and embrace a better life. In the face of global challenges, no country can stay out of the way, and no country can stand alone. Human beings must work together to overcome difficulties, strengthen communication and coordination, gather the greatest common divisor, and draw the greatest concentric circles. The special historical significance of the Dubai World Expo is that it has brought light and enlightenment to the people of all countries in the fight against the epidemic, and has injected hope and confidence for peace, unity and development into the turbulent world.
China is a comprehensive strategic partner of the UAE and has always fully supported the UAE in hosting the Dubai World Expo. I am honored to preside over the opening of the China Pavilion and the China National Pavilion Day on October 1 last year and January 10 this year, and witness the “Light of China” in the China Pavilion become a splendid and shining landscape in the Expo Garden. Covering an area of 4,636 square meters, the China Pavilion is one of the largest foreign pavilions at this World Expo. It is shaped like a red lantern, symbolizing light, auspiciousness and reunion. It expresses the sincere wishes of the Chinese people for the Dubai World Expo. I believe that the magnificent “A Thousand Miles of Rivers and Mountains” in the China Pavilion, the immersive space created by the Beidou satellite, the experience of the galloping speed in the simulated cockpit of Fuxing, the cute panda robot, and the brilliant UAV matrix light show, etc. It must have left a deep and beautiful impression in the hearts of tourists from all over the world.
In recent years, China-Afghanistan relations have maintained high-level development. The political mutual trust between the two countries is profound and solid, the economic and trade cooperation has yielded fruitful results, people-to-people and cultural exchanges have been in the ascendant, and the anti-epidemic cooperation has continued to deepen, which has become a model for China-Middle East countries. In February this year, President Xi Jinping met in Beijing with Crown Prince Mohammed of Abu Dhabi, UAE, who was in China to attend the opening ceremony of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. Partnerships point the way. It is particularly worth mentioning that China and Arab countries have jointly launched the world‘s first phase III international clinical trial of the COVID-19 inactivated vaccine, which has created a record of multi-nationality and large-scale clinical trials, and made important contributions to promoting international anti-epidemic cooperation.
Zayed, the “father of the nation” of the UAE, once said that history is a rolling wheel, and reality is a continuation of the past. Although the world-renowned World Expo Dubai has come to an end, the spirit of “communicating ideas and creating the future” will not be outdated. I firmly believe that China and Afghanistan and the two peoples will work together to create a new history of win-win cooperation between the two countries, promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, and make greater contributions to our common world and future.
(The author is the Chinese ambassador to the UAE)
(Editor in charge: Wu Xiaojuan)