China-Arab Friendship: One man's efforts to develop friendship and peace

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02:18

As Chinese and Arab ministers gather in Beijing to expand official cooperation, we take a look now at work of one man who has spent the last 12 years promoting friendship between China and Arab countries and the peace in the region. Li Jianhua has the story.

When the United States and Britain invaded Iraq in 2003, Qin Yong was a planning editor in a news agency. He was working on a special report. On March 5 that year, Qin Yong interviewed Iraq's ambassador to China. It was his first opportunity to closely understand Iraq and the regional situation.

QIN YONG, VICE PRESIDENT CHINA-ARAB EXCHANGE ASSOCIATION "I never thought I would end up doing what I do now. At that time, there weren't many people paying attention to the development of relations between China and Arab countries."

On August 8, 2006, the website China-Arab.com was born. Qin Yong created it as a platform to promote non-governmental cooperation between China and Arab States.

QIN YONG, VICE PRESIDENT CHINA-ARAB EXCHANGE ASSOCIATION "Through this platform, we hope to expand the exchanges and cooperation between Chinese local governments and enterprises and Arab States including trade, education and tourism."

Qin Yong is also trying to help the search for peace in Syria and Iraq. He established the Middle East Peace Forum and set up the May 15 as "Middle East Peace Day".

QIN YONG, VICE PRESIDENT CHINA-ARAB EXCHANGE ASSOCIATION "I have visited Syria a few times. It was really painful for me to witness people losing their homes. Building a community of common human destiny is the goal of my career. My job is to bring more Chinese enterprises to help with the reconstruction of Syria."

Qin Yong has an Arabic name, Kareem, which means "generous". A fitting name for a man who has devoted the last 12-years to developing non-governmental diplomacy between China and the Arab world. Li Jianhua, CGTN.