Chinese President Xi Jinping's Mideast trip from Wednesday to Saturday ushered in a new era of all-round and in-depth development of relations between China and Arab states, between China and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), and between China and Saudi Arabia, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi told the media on Saturday.

Xi not only attended the first China-Arab States Summit and the China-GCC Summit in Saudi Arabia, but also paid a state visit and held bilateral meetings with nearly 20 Arab leaders, Wang said. He described Xi's Mideast trip as China's largest and highest-level diplomatic action with the Arab world since the founding of the People's Republic of China.

Calling Xi's Mideast trip another great pioneering undertaking in China's diplomacy, Wang said it demonstrated the strategic choice of China and Arab countries to strengthen solidarity and coordination in the face of global challenges.

Jointly building China-Arab community with shared future

Xi made a keynote speech at the first China-Arab States Summit, in which he reviewed the time-honored history of friendly exchanges between the two sides, and refined the enduring spirit of the Chinese-Arab friendship that has spanned thousands of years.

Xi called on China and Arab states to foster a closer China-Arab community with a shared future, by staying independent and defending the common interests of both sides, focusing on economic development and promoting win-win cooperation, upholding regional peace and striving for common security, and increasing exchanges among civilizations to enhance mutual understanding and trust.

Leaders attending the summit said the friendly relations between Arab states and China are based on mutual respect, equal cooperation and mutual benefit.

The Arab world makes much of China's great development achievements and of its important role in the world. A deepened Arab-China strategic partnership is conducive to better realizing fairness and justice, safeguarding world peace and development, and realizing the common aspirations of the Arab and Chinese people, Wang noted.

China and Arab states jointly issued the Riyadh Declaration of the First China-Arab States Summit, in which both sides agree to make all-out efforts to build a China-Arab community with a shared future in the new era.

Making layout together for China-CGG Cooperation

The China-GCC Summit was the first time that leaders of China and GCC states got together. Wang said Xi's speech keenly expounded on how to establish the China-GCC strategic partnership from the four aspects of unity, development, security and civilization.

Xi stressed that the two sides should be partners for greater solidarity, common development, common security and cultural prosperity, and put forward five priority areas for China-GCC cooperation in the next three to five years.

During his meetings with King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, Xi pointed out that China takes the development of its relations with Saudi Arabia as a priority in its overall foreign relations, in particular its diplomacy in the Middle East, and pushes for greater progress in the China-Saudi Arabia comprehensive strategic partnership, Wang said.

King Salman said that the two sides have reached important common understandings on many issues, and China's interests are also Saudi Arabia's interests.

The crown prince said that Saudi Arabia firmly supports China's measures and efforts for deradicalization, and that more Chinese companies are welcomed to take an active part in the industrialization process of Saudi Arabia.

Both sides agreed to hold a meeting between the two heads of state by turns every two years, and the leaders of the two countries agreed to synergize the Belt and Road Initiative cooperation and Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030.

Wang said Xi actively promoted the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, elaborated on the Chinese path to modernization and the purpose of China's foreign policy, and underlined that China will firmly pursue a mutually beneficial strategy of opening up, and create new opportunities for Arab states and all other countries with China's new development.

Arab leaders reiterated their countries' firm adherence to the one-China principle and unswerving support for China in safeguarding its core interests, Wang noted.