Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, December 12thTopic: The Moment of Partners Shaking Hands—Records of President Xi Jinping’s Attendance at the Summit of the China-Gulf Cooperation Council and His State Visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
A long-awaited rain fell in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, which is located on the edge of the desert. People called it “Happy rain welcomes distinguished guests”.
This day is December 7th, which is a day that Saudi Arabia and many Arab countries pay attention to. It is “the time when distinguished Chinese guests come to the Arabian Peninsula.”
The ancient Arabian Peninsula, the hub of world shipping, the valve of energy supply, the meeting place of brilliant civilizations… Among the many roles, they value a definition very much: China’s friend and partner.
It’s the first day after the rain.
The sun broke through the clouds, and the earth was covered with a dreamy golden tulle. Six “Saudi Eagle” protocol escort planes soared into the sky to meet President Xi Jinping’s special plane in the blue sky. On both sides of the special plane, four Saudi Air Force fighter planes escorted it all the way from its entry.
On the tarmac, the violet carpet is like a flower belt in the desert. Important members of the Saudi royal family and senior government officials waited under the gangway.
The special plane landed, the cabin door opened, and President Xi Jinping stepped out. At almost the same moment, the protocol escort plane roared across the sky, pulling out the red and yellow ribbons symbolizing the Chinese flag; over Riyadh, a 21-gun salute shook the sky.
After the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the Chinese head of state’s first trip to the Middle East kicked off.
Some Saudi media described the three-day rich itinerary as a “three-ring summit”.
At the level of China and Saudi Arabia, President Xi Jinping was invited to pay a state visit to Saudi Arabia, which was also President Xi’s first state visit after the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China.
At the China Sea level, the first China-Gulf Arab States Cooperation Council Summit was held. China and this regional organization have had in-depth interactions, and the milestone significance has been recorded in the annals of history.
At the China-Arab level, the first China-Arab summit was called “a major initiative of China’s diplomacy towards the Middle East since the founding of the People’s Republic of China” and “an epoch-making milestone in China-Arab relations.”
At the moment when partners shake hands, a new pattern of all-round, multi-level, and wide-ranging Sino-Arab cooperation is slowly unfolding.
Four scales of China-Saudi Arabia relations
A document that attracts the attention of the world. On the afternoon of the 8th, the sun poured into the room through the window of the meeting hall of the palace’s general office. With President Xi Jinping and Saudi King Salman writing the pen, the “China-Saudi Arabia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement” came out.
Making an agreement on bilateral relations is rare not only in Chinese diplomacy, but also in world diplomacy, but it also reflects the respect and care for mutual relations in the spirit of contract. There is a very eye-catching sentence in the agreement: “Agreed to hold a meeting of heads of state between the two countries in turn every two years.”
The rhythm of the head of state’s diplomacy is a vivid portrayal of state relations. From the four scales, we can trace the historical context of the development of bilateral relations.
A scale, China and Saudi Arabia established diplomatic relations in 1990. Due to historical reasons, it is the last Arab country to establish diplomatic relations with China. Spring water breaks the ice, and once the relationship between the two countries is established, the development is unstoppable.
One scale was in 2008, when Xi Jinping, then vice president of the country, visited Saudi Arabia. It was also his first visit to Saudi Arabia. During the visit, China and Saudi Arabia established a strategic friendly relationship, and bilateral relations entered the fast lane.
One tick is 2016. After assuming the presidency, President Xi Jinping visited the Arab countries for the first time. The first stop was Saudi Arabia, and China and Saudi Arabia established a comprehensive strategic partnership.
Visiting the “Sifang Palace” together, drinking Arabic coffee together, and dancing the traditional “sword dance” in Saudi Arabia… The two heads of state met this time, and the good times of that visit are still fresh in my memory.
The fourth mark is exactly this time, when President Xi Jinping paid a state visit to Saudi Arabia. On the 8th, the schedule was intensive. There were not only a grand welcome ceremony, banquets and in-depth talks and meetings held by Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed on behalf of King Salman, but also King Suud University management who was personally accompanied by Crown Prince Mohammed and Prime Minister to express his heart. Honorary Doctorate Degree Conferment Ceremony.
How to define China-Saudi Arabia relationship? It is necessary to learn from the past and know the future, as well as to have a broad and overall thinking.
When President Xi Jinping met with Crown Prince Mohammed and Prime Minister, he defined it with three important points. He pointed out that Saudi Arabia is an important member of the Arab world and the Islamic world, an important independent force in the multi-polar world, and an important strategic partner of China in the Middle East.
This remark is in line with a conclusion made by President Xi Jinping in April this year: “At present, the international and regional situation is undergoing profound and complex changes, and the strategic and overall nature of China-Saudi Arabia relations have become more prominent.”
Looking at the China-Saudi Arabia Joint Statement adopted during this visit, the bilateral, regional and international cooperation is rich in levels and all-encompassing. How can two countries so far apart be able to cross mountains and seas, trust each other and be full of expectations?
Mutual trust is the cornerstone.
Crown Prince Mohammed and Prime Minister once commented that there is no difference between the two sides.
During this trip, when King Salman met with President Xi Jinping, he expressed his feelings: “What China cares about is what Saudi Arabia cares about, and what the Chinese people care about is what the Saudi people care about.” “The two sides have important consensus on many issues. The interests of Saudi Arabia are also the interests of the Saudi side.”
Cooperation is the bond.
The Saudi Press Agency used a set of data to prove it: when the two countries established diplomatic relations in 1990, the bilateral trade volume was about US$500 million; in 2000 it jumped to about US$3 billion; in 2021 it reached US$87.31 billion. In the first ten months of 2022, the trade volume between the two countries will reach US$97 billion, a year-on-year increase of 37.4%.
The meeting with Crown Prince Mohammad and Prime Minister was rich and protracted. In April 2016, Saudi Arabia launched the “Vision 2030”, seeking to achieve economic and social diversification within 15 years. The joint construction of the “Belt and Road” initiative and Saudi Arabia’s “Vision 2030” are in-depth docking, and the cooperation between the two sides is broad.
And “being practical” is one of the characteristics of the relationship between the two countries. During the meeting, President Xi Jinping told King Salman that I am glad to see that the important consensus we have reached on developing China-Saudi Arabia relations is being transformed into tangible cooperation results.
Saudi Arabia is one of the first countries to respond to the joint construction of the “Belt and Road” initiative. Riyadh, located in the central part of the Arabian Peninsula, was the post center of caravans in ancient times. Zheng He’s sails were high, and he sailed to Jeddah, Medina and other places, which is still popular among people.
Today, the Silk Road in the new era is connecting each other. Mecca, the first light rail railway in Saudi Arabia, the Yanbu Refinery in a small western city, the Gulei Ethylene Petrochemical Project in cooperation with Fujian, the Jizan Industrial Cluster, the Red Sea public infrastructure project, 5G communications, and cooperative lunar exploration… “When we went, we faced a desert, and when we left, we left behind a bustle.” The speeches of Chinese builders are also a vivid portrayal of China-Saudi Arabia cooperation.
This time, the two sides decided to raise the level of the leader of the China-Saudi Arabia High-level Joint Committee to the level of prime minister, which shows that the two sides attach great importance to the next step of cooperation. In the face of President Xi Jinping, Crown Prince Mohammed and Prime Minister repeatedly expressed his expectation: “Your visit will definitely push Saudi-China relations to a new level” and “I am full of confidence in the prospects of Saudi-Chinese relations.”
In a signed article in the Riyadh newspaper in 2016, President Xi Jinping drew a beautiful blueprint for China-Saudi Arabia relations with “four partners”: we will be a strategic partner that supports each other, is sincere and trustworthy, and a mutually beneficial partner with win-win cooperation and common development , a partner who helps each other and goes hand in hand, a friendly partner who has close exchanges and mutual learning.
The Chinese and Saudi media, and even the Arab media and many other media around the world, played back over and over again the welcome ceremony held by Crown Prince Mohammed and Prime Minister on behalf of King Salman for President Xi Jinping at noon on the 8th.
The convoy with the national flags of China and Saudi Arabia, escorted by motorcycle teams and horse teams, slowly drove into the palace office. Crown Prince Mohammed and Prime Minister warmly greeted him at the alighting place.
The reviewing booth, guard of honor, sword-holding etiquette, “March of the Volunteers”… all the shots are written in full force and detail about the friendship stories of sincere friends and close partners.
The Ceremony Hall of the Royal Palace General Office, where the doctorate awarding ceremony is held. The Saudi side delivered an impassioned speech, describing China today in the eyes of Saudi Arabia:
“China occupies a pivotal position in the world‘s economic structure and is a model for the people of all countries who yearn for progress and prosperity. Without the leadership of a leader with strategic vision and vision, these things would be impossible to talk about.”
The Four Positions of China-Sea Relations
Overlooking the world map, a bay protrudes from the northwest of the Arabian Sea to the Asian continent. There are dotted countries along the coast, which are not only places rich in energy resources, but also strategic fortresses. As early as 1981, the “Gulf region” put the concept of promoting “integration” into action, and established the Gulf Arab States Cooperation Council composed of six member states.
On the afternoon of the 9th, guests and friends arrived at the King Abdulaziz International Conference Center in Riyadh. A summit recorded in history—the first China-Gulf Arab States Cooperation Council Summit, entered the countdown.
After the group photo, Crown Prince Mohammed and Prime Minister smiled and welcomed President Xi Jinping to enter the venue and take a seat.
A round table, waiting for all parties to work together to write a new story of China Overseas. On both sides of President Xi Jinping, Emir Tamim of Qatar, King Hamad of Bahrain, Crown Prince Mishal of Kuwait, Deputy Prime Minister Fahd of Oman, Chief Sharki of Fujairah, UAE, and Secretary-General of the GCC Yves rounds up. The distance between China and the member states of the GCC, which is thousands of miles away, is close at hand.
Crown Prince Mohammad and Prime Minister presided over.
In the first half of this year, Saudi Arabia, as the rotating presidency of the GCC, proposed to China to hold the China-GCC Summit at the same time as the China-Arab Summit. China readily agreed.
Unprecedented pioneering work, but it is a matter of course.
Looking back on the Millennium Silk Road, we heard camel bells and boats looked at each other. The exchanges between China and the Gulf Arab countries have been passed down through historical records.
Looking back on the century-old history, they fought side by side in the struggle for national independence and people’s liberation; they supported each other and cooperated for mutual benefit in the cause of national construction that was waiting to be done.
Since the establishment of the GCC 41 years ago, the cooperation between the two sides has also been deepened along with the pace of China’s reform and opening up and the opportunities for economic transformation and development of both sides.
Different GCC countries have expressed the same expectation on different occasions. Crown Prince Mohammad and Prime Minister emphasized this point in his keynote speech: “GCC countries all hope to strengthen cooperation with China, and hope to plan key areas of future cooperation between China and the sea through this summit, and open up a new chapter in the relationship between China and the sea.”
Walk towards each other and follow the trend. The summit decided to establish and strengthen China-Global strategic partnership.
President Xi Jinping proposed four major partnerships in this regard in his keynote speech entitled “Carry on the past and usher in the future, work together to create a bright future for China-Ghailand relations”: partners who jointly promote unity, partners who seek common development, partners who jointly build security, and partners who jointly promote civilization partner.
“The significance and value of a partnership lies not only in the fact that the CCP and the Communist Party of China join hands in adversity, but also in going forward hand in hand in times of adversity.” President Xi Jinping’s thoughts on partnerships are a vivid portrayal of China-Sea relations.
To explore the deep-seated reasons for the leapfrog development of China-Global relations, President Xi Jinping summed it up with four “roots”, one of which is “sharing weal and woe”.
There is a proverb in both China and Arab countries: “A friend in need is a friend indeed”.
In the face of an epidemic of the century, we have witnessed what true friendship is. At the beginning of the epidemic, King Salman was the first foreign head of state to call President Xi Jinping specifically about the epidemic; the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world in the United Arab Emirates, displayed a huge slogan “Come on, Wuhan”; Green Channel”…
China will never forget it. President Xi Jinping also emphatically emphasized in a phone call that “the Chinese nation is a nation that knows how to be grateful and reciprocates love.” At a time when Arab countries, including the GCC countries, are facing severe challenges from the epidemic, China has donated generously. Just taking vaccines as an example, as of October 2022, China has provided more than 340 million doses to Arab countries.
“Highly complementary” is another “root” of President Xi Jinping’s profound insight. A foreign media described China Shipping Cooperation as follows: “One is the largest global market, and the other is the largest energy supply place. They fit together like building blocks.”
A set of data vividly proves that China has maintained its position as the largest trading partner of the GCC for a long time. Last year, China-GCC trade volume bucked the trend and increased by 44%. Among China’s top ten oil import source countries in 2021, the GCC countries occupy four seats.
The economic synergy of Sino-Global cooperation is constantly injecting new connotations of the times. On the one hand, it is the highland of regional economic development and the pioneer of reform and transformation; on the other hand, it is the new development concept of innovation, coordination, green, openness and sharing, bursting out unprecedented cooperation potential.
The “five major areas of cooperation” proposed by President Xi Jinping in his keynote speech focus on new patterns and breakthroughs in cooperation.
For example, in terms of energy cooperation, “carry out RMB settlement of oil and gas trade”; in the field of financial investment, promote digital currency and green development; in the field of scientific and technological cooperation, 5G, 6G, big data, and cloud computing are dizzying; The countries of the Cooperation Council issued an invitation: Astronauts from the GCC countries are welcome to enter the Chinese space station, and the sea side is welcome to participate in the cooperation of China’s space missions.
Going to the sky and entering the sea, the vast world of cooperation between China and the sea is waiting to gallop. “China-Global relations are both old and young.” President Xi Jinping’s keynote speech echoed endlessly in the Gulf region outside the venue:
In the United Arab Emirates, the Abu Dhabi Tawil seawater desalination project was successfully connected to the grid at the end of last year; in Kuwait, the Mutla housing infrastructure construction project was completely handed over; Also contributing to the country’s energy transition…
A “China-Global Strategic Dialogue 2023-2027 Action Plan” was released at the end of the summit. Nearly 100 initiatives in 15 fields will lay bricks and mortar for the building of cooperation in the next five years.
There are not only the overall advancement of the negotiations on the China-GCC Free Trade Area Agreement, but also the respective highlights of cooperation with different countries in the GCC. On the eve of the summit, when President Xi Jinping met with Emir Tamim of Qatar, the opening remarks started from the Lusail Stadium, where China and Tajikistan cooperate.
“The World Cup is halfway through, and now it is the quarterfinals. There will be a match tonight. I believe the World Cup will be a complete success, and it will be a World Cup that can be recorded in history.” President Xi Jinping said with a smile.
Tamim Amir replied: “Qatar has a very good relationship with China. Chinese companies have helped build Qatar’s largest stadium in Qatar, where the World Cup finals will be held.” He also mentioned “Jingjing” and “Sihai” , two giant pandas from China settled in Qatar, adding a lot of festive atmosphere.
President Xi Jinping has repeatedly quoted the Arabic proverb “Going alone is fast, but traveling together is far.” Walking side by side with partners has also made foreign media say: “These meetings themselves have epoch-making characteristics, indicating that the new world order is becoming more and more realistic. This is a sign of China’s growing influence.”
The Four Dimensions of Great Power Diplomacy
A phenomenon that is thought-provoking. Some observers asked: Arab countries with different political systems, economic development, and cultural backgrounds, and internal instability, not only flock to China, but also look forward to having more in-depth individual exchanges with Chinese leaders outside the summit. How is attractiveness shaped?
On the 8th, in addition to his state visit, President Xi Jinping attended four bilateral meetings with leaders of China and Arab states;
On the 9th, there were seven bilateral meetings in the morning; three more meetings were added in the 40-plus minutes between the China Overseas and China-Arab summits in the afternoon; and two meetings followed immediately after the summit.
Looking at this trip to Saudi Arabia from a wider time and space, we can better see the still waters and deep currents of the changes in the international pattern contained in it. In the decade of the new era, China’s in-depth interaction with the world has left a deep impression on people. And in the days after the conclusion of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, China’s diplomacy has been full of bright spots and brilliant.
Changes in the world, times, and history are unfolding in unprecedented ways, and the international community is facing endless difficulties and challenges. Major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics has always adhered to its original aspirations and stood on the right side of history and the progress of human civilization.
President Xi Jinping’s long-awaited visit schedule reflects the multiple dimensions of major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics.
One of the dimensions is confidence and expectation.
Kuwaiti Crown Prince Mishaal said to President Xi Jinping with emotion: “China is a great country, and the friendship between the two sides is as deep as brothers.” “On behalf of all the people of Kuwait, I congratulate you on being loved by the people and being elected as the general secretary of the CPC Central Committee again.”
Not long ago, Arab countries, including GCC countries, sent congratulatory messages to China as soon as the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China closed. During this meeting, they once again expressed their congratulations to their Chinese friends in person.
Not only is it concerned about the direction of China after the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, but it is also eager to seek development opportunities from Chinese-style modernization. Crown Prince Mohammad and Prime Minister said: “Today we reaffirm to the world that the Arabs will once again seek progress and revitalization, and every day since then we will prove it.” They looked at the ancient Eastern power on the shore of the Pacific Ocean and asserted that ” The future of the world is there.”
During his visit to Saudi Arabia, President Xi Jinping emphasized that he is willing to work hand in hand with the Saudi side on the road of national rejuvenation. Working together to revitalize the dream is also the internal logic of China-Shanghai cooperation, and this extends the deeper strategic docking between the two parties. Saudi Arabia’s “Vision 2030”, the UAE’s “National Development Strategy for the Next 50 Years”, and Oman’s “Vision 2040” are speeding up the connection with the high-quality joint construction of the “Belt and Road”, forming a strong synergy of “1+1>2”.
The second dimension is “standing together”.
The deep political mutual trust stems from our firm support time and time again in the ever-changing international occasions. The Chinese people will never forget that 13 Arab countries voted for the restoration of China’s legal seat in the United Nations in 1971.
Listen to these heartfelt words from bilateral meetings and summit speeches:
“China has always been with us, even in the most difficult times.”
“We are behind China, and China is behind us.”
“We believe that the one-China principle is an important red line and bottom line. No matter who is in power, we will uphold this principle unswervingly. We have always stood firmly on China’s side, facing attempts by some countries to politicize human rights. We firmly support China.”
“We firmly support the one-China principle. We believe that China’s positions on various international occasions are just. Therefore, we are willing to stand firmly with China on all issues. This is unquestionable.”
……
President Xi Jinping said that the trust between China and Arab countries is unbreakable and cannot be bought with money.
The third dimension is peace and development.
The task of eradicating the pain of peace and solving the difficulties of development is becoming more and more urgent in this vast land. Having experienced war and turmoil, the Arab countries are more aware of the hard-won peace and development, and therefore have a deeper understanding of President Xi Jinping’s global development initiatives and global security initiatives.
During the visit, some Arab media analyzed China’s consistent diplomatic words and deeds, and believed that “the collective political attitude of Arab countries towards China and Chinese leaders’ visit to the Middle East is by no means the result of a sudden change in the international situation in recent months.”
The cooperation between China Shipping and China-Arabia is of great global significance. During his visit, President Xi Jinping mentioned “maintaining the stability of the global energy market” many times, and also talked about the common concerns of emerging market countries and developing countries, which resonated widely.
The fourth dimension is sharing beauty and beauty.
In ancient times, Chinese porcelain, papermaking, and printing techniques traveled all the way west, while Arabic astronomy, calendars, and medicine came eastward. Today, in addition to the flow of logistics, technology, and information, there is also a boom in Chinese in the Arab countries, especially the GCC countries.
Both Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have included Chinese in their teaching syllabi, and China Overseas is creating new highlights in language and cultural cooperation. On the occasion of this visit, President Xi Jinping’s reply letter to representatives of Saudi Chinese learners also spread throughout the Arabian Peninsula. “This will be a precious memory that we will treasure for a lifetime,” said an Arab student who wrote a letter.
The exchange and reference of cultures is the root of flourishing and the source of bubbling.
The GCC countries are proud of oriental civilization. In his keynote speech at the China-Sea Summit, President Xi Jinping also emphasized: “China and China belong to the same oriental civilization, with similar cultural values, and the people know each other well.”
“Five colors complement each other and bring out the best in each other; eight-tone ensemble, the final peace and peace.” Chinese civilization and Islamic civilization complement each other. China Shipping and China and Arab states respect the development path independently chosen by each other, and respect each other’s core interests and major concerns, which also stems from the respect and inheritance of ancient civilizations.
Western media quoted Saudi scholars as saying: “Beijing never makes unreasonable demands or puts forward political conditions to partners, and never interferes in their internal affairs.” Proverbs and metaphors of camel racing emphasize the coexistence of civilizations.
This is the strong desire of the Arab countries, including the GCC countries.
The 2022 head of state diplomacy finale came to an end at King Khaled Airport in Riyadh on the morning of the 10th. With a wave of hands, the plane took off into the sky and flew to the far east. China-Saudi Arabia, China-Sea and China-Arab relations have opened a new page. People are also looking forward to meeting again in the not-too-distant future, just as Crown Prince Mohammad and Prime Minister described to President Xi Jinping at the moment of shaking hands, “I believe this summit will be a meeting between Arab countries and China, GCC countries and China. , a new starting point for institutionalized exchanges at a higher level.” (People’s Daily reporter Du Shangze and Liu Shaohua)