Xinhua News Agency, Riyadh, December 9th
Carry forward the past and usher in the future, forge ahead hand in hand and jointly create a bright future for China-Ghailand relations
——Keynote Speech at the China-Gulf Cooperation Council Summit
(December 9, 2022, Riyadh)
President of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping
Dear colleagues,
Naif Secretary-General:
Hello everyone!
First of all, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for its efforts in hosting the first China-Gulf Cooperation Council Summit.
It gives me great pleasure to gather with all of you to discuss the development of China-Global relations.
China has a history of nearly two thousand years of friendly exchanges with GCC countries.
Upholding the "Oriental Wisdom" of emphasizing peace, advocating harmony, and seeking truth and knowledge, the people of both sides have continued to communicate along the ancient Silk Road.
As soon as the GCC was established in 1981, China established ties with the GCC.
For more than 40 years, the two sides have written a splendid chapter of solidarity, mutual assistance and win-win cooperation.
The reason why China-GCC relations have achieved leapfrog development is rooted in deep mutual trust. China and the GCC countries have always supported each other's sovereignty and independence, respected their respective development paths, insisted that all countries, big or small, are equal, and firmly upheld multilateralism.
In the final analysis, it is highly complementary. China has a vast consumer market and a complete industrial system. The sea is rich in energy resources and the development of economic diversification is in the ascendant. The two sides are natural partners.
In the final analysis, the people-to-people bond is the same, and Zhonghai belongs to the oriental civilization, with similar cultural values, and the people know each other.
It is rooted in sharing weal and woe. In the face of international and regional changes, as well as challenges such as the financial crisis, the new crown pneumonia epidemic, and major natural disasters, the two sides are in the same boat and help each other.
Dear colleagues!
In the face of a century of changes, the GCC countries have united and strengthened themselves, overcome the impact of the epidemic to achieve economic growth, actively promoted political solutions to regional hotspot and difficult issues, and promoted the GCC to become the most dynamic regional organization in the Middle East and the Gulf. China highly appreciates this.
Standing at the crossroads of history, we must continue the tradition of friendship between China and the Gulf, and take the opportunity of establishing a strategic partnership between China and the Gulf to enrich the strategic connotation of the relationship between China and the Gulf.
——Be a partner in promoting solidarity.
We need to constantly consolidate political mutual trust and firmly support each other's core interests.
Jointly uphold the principle of non-interference in internal affairs, work together to practice true multilateralism, and safeguard the common interests of developing countries.
——Be a partner for common development.
We need to strengthen the docking of development strategies, give full play to complementary advantages, and cultivate development momentum.
China looks forward to working with all parties to promote the implementation of global development initiatives, the implementation of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and promote regional development and prosperity.
—— Be a partner in building security together.
China will continue to firmly support the GCC countries in maintaining their own security, support countries in the region in resolving differences through dialogue and consultation, and build a collective security framework for the Gulf.
The GCC countries are welcome to participate in global security initiatives and jointly maintain regional peace and stability.
——Be a partner in the prosperity of civilization.
We should enhance people-to-people bonds, enrich people-to-people and cultural exchanges, learn from each other's outstanding cultural achievements, carry forward the profound essence of oriental civilization, and make positive contributions to the development and progress of human civilization.
Dear colleagues!
In the next 3 to 5 years, China is willing to make efforts with the GCC countries in the following key areas of cooperation:
First, build a new pattern of three-dimensional energy cooperation.
China will continue to import large quantities of crude oil from the GCC countries, expand imports of liquefied natural gas, and strengthen cooperation in upstream oil and gas development, engineering services, storage, transportation, and refining.
Make full use of the platform of Shanghai Oil and Gas Trading Center to carry out RMB settlement of oil and gas trade.
Strengthen cooperation in clean and low-carbon energy technologies such as hydrogen energy, energy storage, wind power photovoltaics, and smart grids, as well as cooperation in localized production of new energy equipment.
Establish the China Sea Peaceful Use of Nuclear Technology Forum, jointly build the China Sea Nuclear Security Demonstration Center, and train 300 talents for the peaceful use of nuclear energy and nuclear technology for the GCC countries.
Second, promote new progress in financial investment cooperation.
China is willing to carry out financial regulatory cooperation with the GCC countries to facilitate the entry of enterprises from the GCC countries into China's capital market.
Establish a joint investment association with Haifang to support the sovereign wealth funds of the two sides to cooperate in various ways.
Study and hold the China Shipping Industry and Investment Cooperation Forum.
Strengthen investment cooperation in the fields of digital economy and green development, and establish a working mechanism for bilateral investment and economic cooperation.
Carry out local currency swap cooperation, deepen digital currency cooperation, and promote multilateral central bank digital currency bridge projects.
Third, expand new fields of innovation and technology cooperation.
China is willing to work with the GCC countries to jointly build a big data and cloud computing center, strengthen 5G and 6G technology cooperation, jointly build a number of innovation and entrepreneurship incubators, and implement 10 digital economy projects around cross-border e-commerce cooperation and communication network construction.
Establish a cooperation mechanism for meteorological science and technology in China, and hold a seminar on climate change in China.
Fourth, achieve new breakthroughs in aerospace cooperation.
China is willing to carry out a series of cooperation projects with GCC countries in the fields of remote sensing and communication satellites, space applications, and aerospace infrastructure.
Carry out cooperation in the selection and training of astronauts, and welcome astronauts from the GCC countries to enter the Chinese space station to fly jointly with Chinese astronauts and conduct space science experiments.
The sea is welcome to participate in the launch cooperation of China's Chang'e and Tianwen and other space missions, and study the establishment of the China-Sea Joint Lunar and Deep Space Exploration Center.
Fifth, create new highlights in language and cultural cooperation.
China will cooperate with 300 GCC countries to carry out Chinese education, cooperate with GCC countries to set up 300 Chinese smart classrooms, provide 3,000 places for "Chinese Bridge" summer (winter) camps, and establish a Chinese learning and testing center and online Chinese classes.
Hold the China-Sea Language and Culture Forum, and jointly build a bilingual library for China-Sea humanities exchanges and mutual learning.
Dear colleagues!
China and the GCC countries each shoulder the glorious mission of national development and rejuvenation. China-GCC relations are both old and young.
Let us carry on the past and forge ahead, forge ahead hand in hand, and jointly create a bright future for China-Global relations!
thank you all!