The Role of China-Arab Cooperation Forum in the Middle East Crisis

The China-Arab States Cooperation Forum promotes the common positions of China and the Arab world on the political solution of regional hot issues, dialogue among civilizations, global governance, counter-terrorism, human rights, artificial intelligence, climate change, etc.

We will find on the official website of the China-Arab Cooperation Forum in Beijing that China seeks to put forward its views on resolving the Palestinian issue, enshrining the five principles of peaceful coexistence and working together to build a community with a shared future for mankind, which was explicitly confirmed and mentioned by President of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping at the conference commemorating the 70th anniversary of the Palestinian cause.^th anniversary of the publication of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence on June 28, 2024. Here, Chinese leaders presented the five principles in all their dimensions to President Xi Jinping for the first time, which includes: (mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, non-aggression, non-interference in internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit, and peaceful coexistence), as a solid guarantee for resolving the Palestinian issue and all political conflicts in the world.

The China-Arab Arab Cooperation Forum has highlighted the significance of China's concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind and President Xi Jinping's Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, which have the same origin and are both rooted in traditional Chinese culture of being good neighbors, keeping promises and enjoying harmony among countries. They both embody the strengths of Chinese diplomacy, featuring self-confidence, independence, respect for justice, helping the weak and upholding truth. They both reflect the global ambition of the Chinese Communists and their ruling Communist Party to make new and greater contributions to humanity, and they both demonstrate China's firm determination to follow the path of peaceful development. The concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind is the best inheritance, the best consecration and the best promotion of the five principles of peaceful coexistence under the new circumstances of the new era under the auspices of China.

We can understand that Beijing has sought to strengthen its relations with Arab countries in recent years and sponsored a rapprochement agreement between Tehran and Riyadh in 2023. In April 2024, Beijing also hosted delegations from the Palestinian movements (Hamas and Fatah) to hold in-depth and frank discussions on supporting reconciliation between the Palestinians, in addition to hosting leaders and representatives of all warring Palestinian factions in the Chinese capital, Beijing, in July 2024 to achieve reconciliation between them under the auspices of China and unify their ranks.

What caught my attention the most at the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum meeting in May 2024 was Chinese President Xi Jinping's opening speech, as well as his call for a peace conference to end the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip, and his support for a large-scale peace conference to resolve the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. He stressed that the Middle East is a land with broad prospects for development; but war rages, war must not last forever, and justice must not be absent forever. On the economic front, Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke highly of the deep sense of affinity with the Arab world, and the friendship between China and the Chinese people and Arab countries and peoples stems from the friendly exchanges along the ancient Silk Road, in Xi Jinping's speech in his opening address at the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum in May 2024, and President Xi's confirmation that: China will continue to strengthen strategic cooperation with the Arab side in the fields of oil and gas, and integrate security of supply with market security, according to Xi, through the text of his speech released by the Chinese Foreign Ministry, with Xi emphasizing that: China is willing to work with the Arab side in the research and development of modern energy technologies and equipment production.

The significance of the China-Arab Cooperation Forum lies in its service to Arab and Middle Eastern issues, in addition to the central role China has played through it in ending the bloodshed in the Gaza Strip and calling on all warring Palestinian factions in the Chinese capital, Beijing, to unite their ranks and abandon their differences under the auspices of China. China has also played a major role through the China-Arab Cooperation Forum in calling for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and working to achieve a settlement of the Palestinian issue on the basis of the two-state solution, stopping the war and opposing the forced displacement of the Palestinian people.^th The Ministerial Conference of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum adopted the Beijing Declaration, the Implementation Plan of the Forum 2024-2026 and a joint statement between China and Arab countries on the Palestinian issue. During the sessions of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum, China also signed a number of bilateral and multilateral cooperation documents with participating countries and the General Secretariat of the League of Arab States. With the China-Arab comprehensive consensus on deep concern over the protracted conflict in Gaza, which has led to a humanitarian crisis. He stressed the firm position and important consensus of the Chinese and Arab sides in calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, ensuring the delivery of humanitarian aid, opposing the forced displacement of the Palestinian people, supporting Palestine's full membership in the United Nations and resolutely working for an early settlement of the Palestinian issue on the basis of the two-state solution.

China is willing to support all Arab countries, especially Palestine, by encouraging them to establish more forums and entities to support the countries of the South. The Arab countries of the China-Arab Cooperation Forum are at the forefront of the countries of the South. In order to better support the cooperation of the South, the Chinese side is currently seeking to support the Center for Studies for the South, which will provide 1,000 scholarships of excellence for the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence and 100,000 study and training opportunities for the countries of the South in the next five years, with the launch of the Young Pioneers of the South Program. The Chinese side will continue to activate the role of the China-United Nations Peace and Development Fund, the Global Development Fund, South-South Cooperation and the South-South Climate Change Cooperation Fund, and cooperate with relevant parties to establish the Trilateral Cooperation Model Center for the Implementation of the Global Development Initiative, so as to support the economic development of the countries of the South. The Chinese side will expand the South-South Cooperation Fund in a manner that serves the interests of Arab countries and all, in line with Chinese President Xi Jinping's slogan of a shared future for humanity.

Thanks to the previous analysisWe understand China's role in preserving and supporting peace and the Palestinian cause, in bringing together the various conflicting Palestinian factions and renouncing their differences, and in calling for an international peace conference to resolve the Palestinian issue, in addition to China's central role in the United Nations and all international forums in calling for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, through the “Chinese Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence”, which are the same as those that were enshrined in the Chinese constitution long ago and laid the foundation stone for China's independent peaceful foreign policy. Accordingly, China is currently seeking to strongly advance the Palestinian cause by adopting China's peace conferences and initiatives, a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and hosting a conference of all Palestinian factions in its capital Beijing, in addition to the major role China is playing through the China-Arab Cooperation Forum to resolve all conflicts in the Middle East region, achieve rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Tehran and resolve differences between all Palestinian factions and movements under the sponsorship of China in particular.