Rabat – Celebrating the strong historical ties between China and the Arab World, Morocco’s King Mohammed VI has called for strengthening and solidifying cooperative relations between the two sides in a wide-range of sectors.
The monarch made the remarks in a speech he addressed on Friday at the first China-Arab Summit, which is taking place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The head of Morocco’s government Aziz Akhannouch delivered the speech on behalf of the King.
Mohammed VI described the summit as a “historic event,” saying that it would further consolidate the “long standing relations between the Arab world and China.”
“The Summit gives us a chance to explore future prospects for the establishment of a special partnership that would hold a prominent place in the Arab region’s relations with its various partners – be they countries, groupings, or regional or continental organizations,” the King added.
He noted that the event is also an opportunity to look back on the two sides’ cultural and historical ties that date back to the ancient Silk Road, a 6,400 kilometer-long trade network that connected Eurasia (Europe and Asia) and North Africa from the second century until the mid 15th century.
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“Not only do these ties link the past to the present, but they also allow us, today, to look forward to innovative, continuous cooperation,” the King stressed, adding that the Belt and Road initiative is one of the “promising prospects” of Arab-China relations.
Initiated by China in 2013, the Belt and Road initiative aims to connect Asia with African and Europe through land and maritime routes, according to the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).
Given the current global and regional context, Mohammed VI stressed that the Arab-China partnership “offers possibilities to overcome the repercussions of these multifaceted challenges,” such as the COVID-induced crises, armed conflicts, and political instability.
In addition, the monarch emphasized that the partnership would enable Arab countries to benefit from China’s knowledge and expertise in a wide range of sectors, including economy, science, and technology.
The King also stressed Morocco’s commitment to promoting south-south cooperation and diversifying partnerships on issues of common interest.
