ISTANBUL

Chinese Premier Li Qiang said Wednesday that Beijing is willing to continue aligning its development strategies with those of Arab countries.

Speaking during a meeting with Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit in Cairo, Egypt, Li called on both sides to “leverage cooperation potential in emerging fields such as new energy, artificial intelligence, digital economy, and the blue economy.”

Jamal Rushdi, a spokesman for the Arab League chief, said that Aboul Gheit emphasized the keen interest of the pan-Arab body and Arab nations in enhancing cooperation between the two sides to broader horizons, particularly within the framework of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum (CASCF), established in 2004.

He said that talks between the two sides addressed key regional and international issues of mutual interest.

Aboul Gheit “expressed appreciation for China’s supportive positions on the Palestinian cause in various international forums, in addition to the support provided to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA),” he added.

The spokesman noted that Aboul Gheit also affirmed “the firm Arab stance on supporting the One China principle and backing China’s efforts to maintain its sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

Li arrived in Cairo early Wednesday for an official visit for talks with Egyptian officials.

“China and Egypt, as important members of the Global South, should further strengthen strategic coordination to safeguard their common interests,” Li said in post-arrival statements carried by Xinhua.

Before his visit to Cairo, Li attended the 17th BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Last week, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning told a live-streamed news conference in Beijing that Li will pay an official two-day trip to Egypt on July 9-10 at the invitation of Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly.

Mao said China and Egypt are comprehensive strategic partners, and the two nations enjoy “robust bilateral ties” and aim to elevate relations to “a community with a shared future.”

Egypt was the first Arab country to establish diplomatic ties with China, the spokeswoman added.

China is one of the top commercial partners of Egypt, with bilateral trade hovering around $14 billion annually.

The two sides have also expanded defense cooperation with Chinese and Egyptian air forces, holding their first joint drill this April.