On September 27, 2024, the first conference of the China-Arab States Think Tank Alliance was held in Shanghai. Vice Foreign Minister Deng Li attended the opening ceremony of the conference and delivered a speech.

Deng Li said that the China-Arab States Think Tank Alliance is the result of in-depth development of traditional friendly relations and continuous deepening of political mutual trust between China and Arab nations. It meets the need for exchanges, mutual learning and expanding cooperation between the two sides, and also serves as an important initiative for jointly addressing challenges and creating a better future. The alliance is expected to focus on five goals including serving development, supporting cooperation, promoting peace, calling for justice and expanding exchanges, and to provide strong intellectual support for the development of China-Arab relations and cooperation in the Global South in the new era.

Deng Li expressed the hope that think tanks from both sides will speak with one voice on the Palestinian question and other issues, put forward China-Arab propositions and proposals for achieving long-term peace and stability in the region, and contribute wisdom to promoting a comprehensive, just and lasting settlement of the Palestinian question at an early date.

Assistant Secretary-General of the League of Arab States (LAS) Ahmed Rachid Khattabi and other Arab representatives highly commended China's development achievements and expressed their expectations for further deepening Arab-China cooperation in various fields and working together to achieve their respective modernization. The Arab side praised China for speaking out on Palestine and other issues, which has made important contributions to maintaining regional peace and stability.

The conference held discussions and exchanges with a focus on China-Arab cooperation in high-quality development and high-standard opening up as well as on the Palestinian question.

The China-Arab States Think Tank Alliance was established in January 2024. The conference was organized by the China-Arab Research Center on Reform and Development, and attended by representatives of nearly 40 think tanks from China, 19 Arab countries and the LAS, with some ambassadors of Arab countries to China also present.