国内英语新闻:China-Arab forum important platform for cementing dialogues: Chinese FM

BEIJING, May 12 (Xinhua) -- The China-Arab Cooperation Forum has become an important platform to enhance collective dialogue and cooperation between China and the Arab world, said Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi here on Wednesday.

Yang made the remarks in a meeting with his counterparts from Arab countries attending the fourth Ministerial Meeting of the China-Arab Cooperation Forum, scheduled on Thursday and Friday in north China's port city of Tianjin.

Yang hailed the steady growth of China-Arab friendly cooperative ties based on the Five Principals of Peaceful Co-existence and features mutual trust, benefits and support.

He said the two sides had set up more than ten cooperative mechanisms covering politics, economy, trade, culture and education since the China-Arab Cooperation Forum was launched six years ago.

The upcoming ministerial meeting is an important one to push forward further development of the forum mechanism, he said.

"China is ready to join hands with the Arab side to boost new progress of our cooperation, in a bid to benefit the two peoples," said Yang.

Participants attending the meeting include Somali Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Jama Ahmed Jengeli, Jordanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Nasser Judeh, Lebanon Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Shami, Mauritanian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Naha Mint Mouknass, Libyan Secretary for Foreign Liaison and International Cooperation Mousa Kousa, Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan of the United Arab Emirates and Secretary-General Amr Mahmoud Moussa of the League of Arab States.

They told Yang the Arab countries highly values their relations with China, eyeing the up-coming meeting as a new start to further boost Arab-China cooperation in various areas.

Foreign ministers and officials from China and 22 Arab states will attend the two-day meeting in Tianjin.