Walter Sánchez from the University of Chile believes Xi Jinping's visit to the Middle East and the potential of the China inspired "Belt and Road" initiative will have a huge impact across the region.
"I think this step shows that China not only wants to strengthen economic cooperation with countries in the Middle East, but also hopes to cooperate with them in a peaceful circumstance. This visit expressed China's wish for a stable and peaceful international order as well as China's will of contributing to a peaceful Middle East as a third party. Meanwhile, I think the globally focused 'Belt and Road' initiative will also bring opportunities for peaceful development and progress to the countries involved."
Xi Jinping's first trip to the Middle East as Chinese President has taken him to Saudi Arabia, Egypt and now Iran.
As part of his speech to the Arab League in Cairo, the president called on countries in the region to address differences by enhancing dialogue, to overcome difficulties by accelerating development, and to choose the right path by making sure that it suits national conditions.
He also stressed China's support for industrialization in the region, promising a 15-billion-U.S.-dollar special loan for production capacity cooperation and infrastructure construction, 10 billion dollars of commercial loans to support production capacity cooperation, and 10 billion dollars of concessional loans.
Geoffrey Aronson, a US specialist on Middle East affairs, places much emphasis on China's "non-interference" policy when it comes to relationships and cooperation between China and Middle East countries.
"China is not suggesting that countries in the region have to pass some sort of political litmus test. The Chinese view is a fairly conservative one which is rooted in its own experience and also as a way of expanding its influence that is non-interference in the domestic affairs of countries, recognizing and supporting state sovereignty and, third, the creation of what the Policy Paper called 'new ways of thinking about establishing win-win outcomes for both parties'."
Aronson also said China's newly published Arab Policy has expressed a wish to develop relations with countries in the region that hold great strategic importance.
He in particular spoke of Chinese President's visit to Egypt.
"Chinese trade to Europe passes through Suez in large part. I don't think one can underestimate the strategic importance if one includes in that strategy trade and also security. So I think it is of vital importance and we can see that manifested in this visit itself."
Xi Jinping's trip is scheduled to wrap up later on Saturday, after his visit to Iran.
For CRI, this is Liu Yuanhui.
