China and Arab countries must strengthen dialogue and cooperation, Chinese State Councilor Dai Bingguo told visiting Arab officials attending a cooperation forum on Tuesday.

Dai said it was a good timing to expand relations between China and Arab countries, as they took the same strategic choice of promoting a new type of partnership of peace and sustainable development.

He said the forum, established in 2004, had helped deepen friendship and boost cooperation, and promote mutual understanding.

China supported the Arab countries' cause for justice, and would work together to push forward friendly cooperation, said Dai.

Abdel Moneim Mabrouk, Sudanese ambassador to the League of Arab States(LAS) and co-chairman of the forum, said Arab countries valued relations with China, and the forum had become a platform for cooperation.

He said Arab countries supported China's territorial integrity and reunification.

The two-day cooperation forum between China and the Arab countries convened Tuesday morning in Beijing, focusing on cooperation during the economic crisis.

(Xinhua News Agency June 23, 2009)