Shanghai, China - Sept 26, 2023 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
1. Various of fourth China-Arab States Forum on Reform and Development, sub-forum in progress, attendees

Yinchuan City, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, northwest China - Sept 21-24, 2023 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
2. Various of visitors, exhibits at China-Arab States Expo

Shanghai, China - Sept 26, 2023 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
3. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Zhai Jun, special envoy of Chinese Government on Middle East Issue:
"China is willing to work together with Arab states to implement the Riyadh Declaration of the first China-Arab States Forum, explore diversified paths toward modernization suited to their respective national conditions, uphold multilateralism, pursue win-win cooperation, oppose ideological confrontation in whatever forms, and avoid the old path of geopolitical or zero-sum games. We advocate harmonious coexistence, reject the attempts to build 'a small yard with high fences' and adhere to common security, so as to create a peaceful and stable environment for Belt and Road cooperation."
4. Various of attendees talking to each other
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Jawad Al Anani, former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Affairs of Jordan (ending with shot 6):
"We have to learn from the Chinese experience, because the Arab world, most Arab countries are now going through a transformation, economic transformation. They want to diversify away from oil products. They want to have different economies. And we need more productive societies. Looking at the Chinese experience gives us a great deal of information."
6. Various of attendees, forum sign
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Yahia Zoubir, senior fellow, Middle East Council on Global Affairs in Qatar (partially overlaid with shot 8):
"The Belt and Road brings this kind of investment that is needed. Qatar not perhaps as much, but it has a strategic location and its neighbor to other countries that have a strategic location. The Belt and Road Initiative is not limited to the land. It's also maritime. So there would be more commerce. It's the digital space, the communication and also the health."
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8. Various of forum billboard, attendees
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9. Various of attendees talking to each other

The fourth China-Arab States Forum on Reform and Development opened in Shanghai on Tuesday, elaborating efforts in promoting high-quality cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and accelerating the building of China-Arab community with a shared future in the new era.

Political figures, experts and scholars from China and 17 Arab states attended the event.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the launch of the BRI. Over the past ten years, Belt and Road cooperation between China and Arab states has yielded fruitful outcomes.

China has signed BRI cooperation documents with 21 Arab states and the League of Arab States, and remains the largest trading partner of Arab states.

In 2022, trade between China and Arab states reached 431.442 billion U.S. dollars, up over 30 percent year on year. China imported 271 million tons of crude oil from Arab states, accounting for more than half of its total crude oil imports in the same period.

In the first half of 2023, trade between China and Arab states hit 199.852 billion U.S. dollars.

"China is willing to work together with Arab states to implement the Riyadh Declaration of the first China-Arab States Forum, explore diversified paths toward modernization suited to their respective national conditions, uphold multilateralism, pursue win-win cooperation, oppose ideological confrontation in whatever forms, and avoid the old path of geopolitical or zero-sum games. We advocate harmonious coexistence, reject the attempts to build 'a small yard with high fences' and adhere to common security, so as to create a peaceful and stable environment for Belt and Road cooperation," said Zhai Jun, special envoy of the Chinese Government on the Middle East Issue.

Arab representatives attending the forum highly appreciated the BRI. They said the initiative, as an important international public cooperation platform, will give a booster for Arab states to realize development by leaps and bounds.

They also said Arab states are ready to work with China to continue to advance high-quality Belt and Road cooperation and make all-out efforts to build an Arab-China community with a shared future in the new era.

"We have to learn from the Chinese experience, because the Arab world, most Arab countries are now going through a transformation, economic transformation. They want to diversify away from oil products. They want to have different economies. And we need more productive societies. Looking at the Chinese experience gives us a great deal of information," said Jawad Al Anani, former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Affairs of Jordan.

"The Belt and Road brings this kind of investment that is needed. Qatar not perhaps as much, but it has a strategic location and its neighbor to other countries that have a strategic location. The Belt and Road Initiative is not limited to the land. It's also maritime. So there would be more commerce. It's the digital space, the communications and also the health," said Yahia Zoubir, senior fellow at the Middle East Council on Global Affairs in Qatar.

The China-Arab States Forum on Reform and Development was held in 2018, 2019, and 2022, providing an effective platform for China and Arab states to strengthen exchanges of governance experience.