On September 13, 2004, when interviewed by a correspondent of Xinhua News Agency, Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing, who is about to attend the first session of the Ministerial Meeting of the Forum on Cooperation between China and Arab States slated in Cairo, capital of Egypt, disclosed that the forum is about to be formally launched. The forum will serve as a new platform for China-Arab cooperation.

Li Zhaoxing said, "at this meeting, I will meet with foreign ministers of Arab states and Secretary General of the League of Arab States (LAS) to hold in-depth discussions on the implementation of the consensus reached by President Hu Jintao and Arab leaders, the development of the new China-Arab partnership and the construction of the China-Arab cooperation forum, and will sign Declaration of the Forum on Cooperation between China and Arab States and the Action Program of the Forum on Cooperation between China and Arab States to formally launch the forum. These represent the follow-up actions to the visit by President Hu to the LAS and Arab countries.

Speaking of how China will utilize the China-Arab cooperation forum to further promote the comprehensive development of China-Arab relations under the new circumstances, Li Zhaoxing said, "shared interests of countries and common needs of the people are where diplomacy starts and ends." He noted that China would enhance dialogue and cooperation with Arab states on the basis of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit, build on and carry the past forward, constantly explore new channels of developing the bilateral relations and maintain regular communication and coordination on major international and regional issues so as to jointly contribute to world and regional peace and common development. Secondly, China will boost economic and trade cooperation with Arab states by exploring new cooperation channels and means, tapping the potentials and sharing complementarity on the basis of reciprocity and mutual benefit. Thirdly, China will strengthen exchanges between the two sides in culture, science, technology, education, health and sports and deepen the mutual understanding and friendship between the people of China and Arab states.

Li Zhaoxing emphasized that the people of China and Arab countries are good brothers, good partners and good friends. He said, "with the joint efforts of China and Arab states, the China-Arab cooperation forum will surely be a success, which will then improve comprehensively the results of the cooperation between China and Arab states in various fields and bring benefits to people of both sides."

On January 30th this year, President Hu Jintao paid a visit to the headquarters of the LAS and put forward four principles on the development of China-Arab partnership. During the visit, the two sides declared the establishment of the Forum on Cooperation between China and Arab States. It is reported that the first session of the Ministerial Meeting of the forum is slated for the 14th day of this month in the headquarters of the LAS in Cairo.