On July 10, 2018, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi jointly met the press with Foreign Minister Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir of Saudi Arabia and Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit of the Arab League after the 8th Ministerial Meeting of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum (CASCF), introducing the outcomes of the Ministerial Meeting.

Wang Yi said that this is a meeting that creates history. At the opening ceremony, President Xi Jinping solemnly announced the establishment of China-Arab states future-oriented strategic partnership of comprehensive cooperation and common development. The improvement of the positioning of bilateral relations is a new starting point for the two sides to follow the trend of the times and forge ahead hand in hand. It has also opened a new chapter for the development of China-Arab states relations. All parties attending the Ministerial Meeting applauded the new positioning of China-Arab states relations, agreed to promote the building of a new type of international relations and jointly build a community with a shared future for mankind, and reached significant consensus on the direction and philosophy of foreign policy.

This is a meeting that plans for the future. China and Arab states reached and signed three important outcome documents, namely the Beijing Declaration, the Action Plan for 2018-2020 and the Declaration of Action on China-Arab States Belt and Road Cooperation. The Beijing Declaration focuses on expounding the connotation of China-Arab states strategic partnership, and clarifies the direction of deepening China-Arab states relations and collective cooperation. The Action Plan for 2018-2020 proposes new schemes and new measures covering cooperation in nearly 20 fields including economy, trade, industry, energy and culture. The Declaration of Action on China-Arab States Belt and Road Cooperation puts forward the significant cooperation concept of the joint construction of the Belt and Road by China and Arab states. These three important documents draw a clear, systematic and complete blueprint for the development of China-Arab states relations in the coming period.

This is a meeting that focuses on cooperation. China and Arab states agreed to take President Xi Jinping's proposal of the joint construction of the Belt and Road as the mainline and make joint efforts to enhance strategic mutual trust, realize the dream of rejuvenation, achieve mutual benefit and win-win results, and promote inclusiveness and mutual learning. The two sides reached more than 100 consensuses on cooperation in various fields and also agreed to continue strengthening the mechanism building of the CASCF.

This is a meeting that promotes peace. At the opening ceremony of the Ministerial Meeting, President Xi Jinping proposed that China is willing to, together with the Arab side, be the defender of peace and stability in the Middle East to find a new path toward comprehensive rejuvenation of the Middle East. President Xi Jinping's important proposition received active response from the Arab side. China will continue to firmly support the Arab nation in defending its legitimate rights and interests and continue to promote the Palestinian issue for an objective and just settlement at an early date.

Wang Yi said that as an Arabic saying goes, "Choosing a good partner before setting out". China has always been committed to building a global partnership featuring partnership rather than alliance. Facing the new era, China and the Arab brothers, as strategic partners, are willing to march forward hand in hand in the process of respective national development and national rejuvenation to jointly create a bright future of peace, tranquility and common prosperity.