The Chinese Foreign Ministry and the General Secretariat of the League of Arab States issued in Cairo Friday a communique on the establishment of a Sino-Arab cooperation forum.  

Chinese President Hu Jintao, who is currently on a state visit to Egypt, paid a visit to the league's General Secretariat on Friday and met with Amr Mahmoud Moussa, the league's secretary-general and Arab representatives at the Arab League headquarters.

President Hu put forward four principles for developing a new type of partnership between China and Arab countries.

The four principles are: to promote political relations on the basis of mutual respect, to forge closer trade and economic links so as to achieve common development, to expand cultural exchanges so as to draw upon each other's experience, and to strengthen cooperation in international affairs with the aim of safeguarding world peace and promoting common development.

At the meeting, Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing, who is accompanying President Hu on the visit, had an in-depth exchange of views with Moussa on relations between China and Arab countries and on international and regional issues of common concern.

The two sides reviewed the development of relations between China and Arab countries and expressed satisfaction with the great achievements made in their cooperation.

They believed that the cooperation between China and Arab countries has a strong foundation and enjoys great potential and broad prospects. And it also conforms with the common wishes and long-term interests of the two sides to enhance the cooperation in various fields.

As developing nations, they said, China and Arab countries are playing an important role in the cause of safeguarding world peace and promoting common development.

By maintaining and strengthening consultation and coordination in international affairs, China and Arab countries will help establish a new international political and economic order, the two sides declared.

China expressed its appreciation for Arab countries' adherence to the one-China policy while Arab countries praised China for its support for the just cause and rights and interests of the Arab people.

In order to further develop the cooperation in various fields, the two sides announced the establishment of the China-Arab states cooperation forum Friday.

The two sides agreed to hold the first meeting at the ministerial level as soon as possible.

(Xinhua News Agency January 31, 2004)