Win-win Sino-Arab ties in game-changer mode

Expo showcases breakthroughs in development, bright prospects for high growth

China is helping transform the Arab world in a myriad ways, delivering socioeconomic development on an unprecedented scale and promising shared prosperity for the future — that was the takeaway consensus which emerged from the four-day biennial China-Arab States Expo held in late September in Yinchuan of the Ningxia Hui autonomous region in Northwest China.

Thanks to their engagement with China, nations spread across a landmass stretching from the United Arab Emirates in the Middle East to Mauritania on the western fringes of the vast Sahara Desert in North Africa are reaping (or set to reap) a slew of benefits.

These include the following: sustainable agricultural solutions for arid regions; development of high-tech and biomedicine; higher-level collaborations among participants of the Belt and Road Initiative; better economic relations; trade in consumer and industrial products as well as energy commodities and services; digital transformation of industry and business; and innovative currency settlements, said Ali bin Ibrahim Al-Malki, assistant secretary-general of the League of Arab States.

What is more, Arab countries are learning from China's efficient strategies for economic recovery and progress, he said.

A shining example of China-Arab States cooperation is the China-aided Mauritania Livestock Technology Demonstration Center, a vibrant oasis amid the sprawling desert. The center now boasts purple alfalfa and tall fescue that thrive across nearly a thousand acres.

"Mauritania's livestock industry acts as a cornerstone of the country's economy," said Zhang Hong'en, the center's director. "However, with 80 percent of its land dominated by desert known for its long dry spells, traditional grazing practices have wreaked havoc on the country's fragile ecosystems, creating a vicious cycle."

In pursuit of sustainable solutions, Chinese experts like Zhang have been heading to Mauritania since 2015 to introduce soil improvement techniques and implement innovative water-saving irrigation methods. Their sustained efforts have led to the introduction of a diverse array of 40 forage crop varieties, seeking the perfect match for this challenging environment.

The green revolution that ensued has breathed life into Mauritania's livestock industry, promising a sustainable future and ensuring good times for agriculture, Zhang said.

The demonstration center, a joint venture of China's Ministry of Commerce and Ningxia, is only one of many such achievements of the expo.

Since the first expo in 2013, as many as 112 countries and regions, along with over 6,000 Chinese and foreign enterprises and 400,000-plus traders, have participated in the event. More than 1,200 cooperation projects of various types have been signed, spanning a range of industries. This year's expo saw exhibition venues cover 40,000 square meters, attracting 1,000 domestic and foreign businesses.

One of them, Palma, a Saudi Arabian dates firm and a first-timer at the expo, has set its sights on the vast Chinese market. It showcased its finest varieties of dates to attract consumers, especially the rising middle-income group, who are embracing healthier lifestyles and exploring diverse culinary experiences, said Abdullah Alrebdi, chairman of Palma.

China is now the Arab countries' largest trading partner. Their trade has almost doubled from the 2012 level to $431.4 billion last year. In the first half of this year, trade between the two sides neared $200 billion, data from the Ministry of Commerce showed.

"The bilateral trade has grown dramatically since 2018 despite China being confronted with numerous unfavorable situations like the global economic turmoil and the COVID-19 pandemic," said Zhao Jinping, former director-general of the Department of Foreign Economic Relations at the Development Research Center of the State Council. This bodes well for the creation of a long-term, safe and stable supply chain, he said.

Over the past 10 years, industrialized and higher value-added goods have gradually replaced raw materials and labor-intensive commodities in bilateral trade. The evolving partnership allows both sides to leverage their respective strengths, expertise and resources, and explore untapped potential, said Khaled Hanafi, secretary-general of the Union of Arab Chambers.