On June 22, 2009, Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Zhai Jun met with Deputy Secretary General of the League of Arab States (LAS), Ahmed Benhelli, who is here for the sixth meeting of Chinese and Arab senior officials for the China-Arab Cooperation Forum. Zhai welcomed his old friend to attend the meeting of senior officials, hailing the smooth development of China-Arab friendly cooperative relations in recent years. Such relationship is featured by rapid development, broad cooperation area and enhanced political trust and mutual support, he said. The China-Arab Cooperation Forum is a vivid portrayal of the development of the friendly cooperative relations between China and Arab countries, which helps promote mutual understanding between both peoples and enrich China-Arab friendly cooperation. The forum has become a platform for China-Arab collective dialogue and cooperation and can make greater contributions to the new type of China-Arab partnership.

Benhelli said that under the current circumstances, Arab states give top priority to developing ties with China and hope to further strengthen bilateral cooperation on political affairs, investment and tourism. The Arab-China Cooperation Forum has become an example for Arab states to conduct collective cooperation with a foreign country. The LAS will continue to work with China to ensure the success of all activities of the forum and push forward Arab-China friendly relations of cooperation.