An overwhelming majority of Arab states hold China in high regard as their understanding of the country is beyond imagination, a Chinese Arab affairs expert said.

For thousands of years, the Chinese and the Arabs never had any source of contention, Li Shaoxian, head of an Arab research institute under Ningxia University, told China Media Group, adding that unlike China, all other major countries have engaged in conflicts with the Arab world.

China and Arab states have enjoyed decades of tight friendship, and the building of deeper ties is expected to be put on full display this week. On Wednesday, Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Riyadh, where he will attend the first China-Arab States Summit and the China-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Summit, and pay a state visit to Saudi Arabia at the invitation of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia.

The summits, which mark the largest-scale diplomatic events for China and the Arab countries, speak volumes about the distinctiveness of China-Arab friendship, something that observers believe is also conducive to addressing differences within the Arab world.

This is not the first time Xi has visited the region. In 2016, Xi made a trip to Egypt and Iran after first visiting Saudi Arabia, which signified a sharp contrast to former U.S. President Donald Trump who, during his visit to the Gulf kingdom, touted the idea of creating an "Arab NATO," portrayed Iran as a common enemy to the Middle East and provoked more tensions in the region.

The key to addressing differences is to enhance dialogue; The key to overcoming difficulties is to accelerate development; The key to choosing a right path is to make sure that it suits national conditions, Xi said at the Arab League headquarters in Cairo during his 2016 trip.

Reflecting on that trip, Li said China can draw on its close relations with Arab countries to help resolve disputes among them. While the West only propagates "democracy" and "freedom" and has brought persistent conflicts to the Middle East, China and Arab states are bound by tacit understanding, and the trust between them, as Xi put it, is unbreakable, nor can it be bought by money.

(Cover: This photo taken on December 7, 2022 shows jets releasing smoke in the colors of the Chinese national flag in the sky over Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. /Xinhua)