On September 26, 2023, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs held the fourth China-Arab States Forum on Reform and Development supported by the China-Arab Research Center on Reform and Development in Shanghai. Special Envoy of the Chinese Government on the Middle East Issue Zhai Jun, former Prime Minister of Iraq Adel Abdul Mahdi, former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Affairs of Jordan Jawad Al Anani, former Minister of Information of Oman Abdul Munim bin Mansour Al Hasani, Assistant Secretary-General of the League of Arab States Khalid bin Mohammed Manzlawi, Ambassador for China-Arab States Cooperation Forum Affairs of the Foreign Ministry Li Chen, Chairman of the China-Arab Research Center on Reform and Development and Party Secretary of Shanghai International Studies University Jiang Feng, and Party Secretary of Songjiang District of Shanghai Cheng Xiangmin, among others, attended the forum. Experts and scholars from China and 17 Arab states attended the event.

Zhai Jun said that this year marks the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative put forth by President Xi Jinping. Over the past ten years, Belt and Road cooperation between China and Arab states has yielded fruitful outcomes. China is ready to work together with Arab states to take the implementation of the outcomes of the first China-Arab States Summit as an opportunity to jointly build the Belt and Road into a road of peaceful development, openness and inclusiveness, green and innovative development, and mutual learning. Arab states are welcome to actively participate in the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, and make unique and important contribution.

Arab representatives attending the forum highly appreciated the Belt and Road Initiative, and said that Belt and Road cooperation between Arab states and China has made important contribution to promoting common development and prosperity of the two sides. The Belt and Road Initiative, as an important international public cooperation platform, will be the boost for Arab states to realize development by leaps and bounds. Arab states are ready to work with China to continue to advance high-quality Belt and Road cooperation and make an all-out effort to build an Arab-China community with a shared future in the new era.

The China-Arab States Forum on Reform and Development was held in 2018, 2019, and 2022, providing an effective platform for China and Arab states to strengthen exchanges of governance experience.