‘Three Summits’ and the New Development of China-Arab States Relations in the New Era

Abstract The ‘Three Summits’ are three specific diplomatic events, namely the China-Saudi Arabia Summit (Chinese President Xi Jinping’s state visit to Saudi Arabia), China-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Summit and China-Arab States Summit for Cooperation and Development. The realisation of President Xi’s state visit to Saudi Arabia came from the following three reasons: firstly, both sides seised the opportunity to push bilateral relations forward; secondly, both sides valued each other’s comprehensive strength and influence; thirdly, both sides made it a common goal to build the ‘Belt and Road’ and promote the docking of their strategies. The mending of relations within the GCC states has laid the groundwork for a successful China-GCC Summit, and China is also focussing on maintaining a balance between Saudi Arabia and other GCC members, with a growing trend of GCC states’ ‘looking eastward’. The success of the China-Arab States Summit is due to the background of profound changes unseen in a century and the opening of the post-pandemic era, as well as to the promotion of China’s head-of-state diplomacy, in addition to the solid foundation of cooperation that already exists between China and Arab world. The ‘Three Summits’ became a new starting point for China’s diplomacy with the Arab countries after the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), providing an opportunity for the Chinese President to hold several bilateral meetings with Arab leaders. In short, ‘Belt and Road’ cooperation between China and Arab countries will continue to expand in the future, and the two sides will work together to promote the building of a China-Arab community with a shared future. The strategic partnership between China and the GCC will be strengthened, and the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Saudi Arabia will continue to develop.