Cementing ties with Arab world

Premier Wen's visit to the Arabian Peninsula is significant not only for bilateral ties, but also the region and world beyond

Premier Wen Jiabao's six-day visit to the Arabian Peninsula, which begins on Saturday, has drawn widespread interest both at home and abroad.

The visit comes at a time when the United States and its Western allies are mounting pressure on Iran to abandon its nuclear program and the "Arab Spring" has brought about dramatic and profound changes in the Arab world's geopolitical landscape. Against this backdrop, the significance of Wen's trip, which will take him to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), goes far beyond China's ties with the Arab nations and the Islamic world.