Vice premier Qian Qichen attended the founding reception, saying that people of China and Arab countries have a long history of friendship, closely connected through the well-known Silk Road 2,000 years ago. And they also sympathized with and supported each other in the struggles against colonial rule for national independence.

Now, cooperation between the two sides has been strengthened out of the desire for peace and development, Qian said.

China has always firmly supported the righteous cause of the Arab people and the peace process in the Middle East, backing the Palestinians to resume their legal national rights and set up independent sovereign state.

Qian pointed out that the Sino-Arab relations have endured trials of international affairs, and the two sides have established friendly and cooperative ties based on the Five Principles of Peaceful Co-Existence.

He stressed that the Chinese government has always attached great importance to developing relations with Arab countries.

To strengthen Sino-Arab cooperation is a long-term diplomatic policy cherished by China, Qian said.

Vice chairman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee of China, Ismail Amat, who is also president of the CAFA, said that CAFA is aiming at furthering the friendship and understanding between Chinese and Arab peoples, expanding international cooperation and maintaining world peace. CAFA will help promote the exchanges and cooperation with Arab countries in the fields of politics, economy, culture, science and technology and education, Amat said.

Amr Moussa, secretary-general of the League of the Arab States, sent a message of congratulation to the CAFA founding.

(China Daily December 22, 2001)