国内英语新闻:Diplomats hail China-Arab ties in seminar

CAIRO, Nov.9 (Xinhua) -- Diplomats from Arabic countries and China hailed on Tuesday the relations in various fields between China and Arabic countries, expecting further all-round development of bilateral ties.

"China has always regarded Arab countries as developing nations. And to strengthen the solidarity and cooperation with developing countries is one of the basic principles in China's foreign policy, " said Song Aiguo, Chinese new ambassador to Egypt.

The friendship and cooperation relations between China and Arabic countries have been at fairly good levels, he said at a China-Arab relations seminar organized by the Cairo-based Afro- Asian Peoples Solidarity Organization (AAPSO), a mass nongovernmental body with national committees in more than 90 countries of the world -- in Asia and Africa, and associate member committees in Europe and Latin America.

The Chinese government will stick to further developing its cooperation and friendship with Arab countries, he added.

China and Arab countries have relations dating back about 2,000 years ago. China has diplomatic ties with all 22 members of the Arab League.

The two sides have always been maintaining mutual respect, understanding and support, Song said, adding China always greatly supports the just causes of Arabic countries and their people.

Song said China supported the efforts made by Arabic countries to solve the Middle East issues in a peaceful and fair way, the Arab Peace Initiative and the just cause of Palestinian people.

Ahmed Hamroush, president of the AAPSO, said Egypt was the first country in the Arabic world and Africa to establish diplomatic ties with China. China-Arabic relations have experienced continuous development, he added, urging to further boost the ties.

Nouri Abdul Razzak, secretary general of the AAPSO, said that China seeks a harmonious world. China-Arab relations have "win-win results", he added.

Omar Hamdi, secretary general of Libya's Solidarity and Peace Committee, said he believed the China-Arab relations were promising, given the good historical bases.

Hamdi said he hoped that the two sides would further cooperation in the fields of politics, culture and economy.

Delegates from Morocco and Yemen also acclaimed the China-Arab ties and China's independent foreign policy of peace.

In 2009, two-way trade between China and the Arab states hit 107.4 billion U.S. dollars, compared with 36.4 billion U.S. dollars in 2004. according to China's official figures.

At the Fourth Ministerial Meeting of the China-Arab Cooperation Forum held in China's Tianjin on May 13 and 14 this year, China and Arab states agreed to upgrade their relationship to a strategic level and carry out an action plan for deepened cooperation in the next two years.