A ceremonial Chinese book launch event was held on Sunday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia's capital city. Zhang Jianchun, vice head of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, and Dr. Yazeed Al-Sheikh, vice president of King Saud University (KSU), addressed the gathering. 

During the event, they introduced the "Silk Road Library: Chinese Bookshelf" and oversaw the donation of Chinese books to KSU.

Zhang said in his speech that both Chinese and Saudi people are diligently striving for their respective grand dreams. Immersing in each other's languages and meticulously studying the books of both nations not only aids in understanding the history and culture, but also promotes closer ties and understanding between the two peoples. This, in turn, contributes to the building of a shared future for humanity. 

"King Saud University, a source of pride for the Saudi people and a globally renowned institution, has collaborated with Sinopec to set up this Chinese bookshelf. It's a testament to the deepening of bilateral economic and cultural exchanges, and heralds a new chapter in Sino-Saudi publishing cooperation," he added.

Dr. Yazeed Al-Sheikh expressed gratitude for the gift from Sinopec, considering it a tangible action to deepen Sino-Saudi cultural ties. "Today, the beautiful Chinese books will enrich the materials for Chinese language teaching and Chinese studies in our university, helping the Saudi people to know more about China. We will continue to expand our educational and cultural cooperation with the Chinese government and make greater contributions to the development of friendly relations between the two countries," he said.

It's reported that the donation from Sinopec comprises over 1,000 books, primarily in Arabic, covering topics like China's socio-economic development, history, culture, arts, technological advancement and Chinese language instruction. 

Representatives from the Chinese publishing sector, scholars, representatives of Chinese enterprises in Saudi Arabia, as well as faculty and student representatives from KSU, attended the ceremony.