Commitment to stability

Premier Wen Jiabao's six-day trip to the Arabian Peninsula has brought China's bilateral relations with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar to a new level. It has also enhanced China's cooperation with regional organizations including the Arab League and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

With the United States exerting unprecedented pressure on Iran over its nuclear program, the Gulf region is the focus of global attention. Many fear that the US-led West's tightening sanctions on Iran will trigger repercussions in the global petroleum market. Worse, if the US chooses to solve its confrontation with Iran by force, the region will be plunged even deeper into crisis.

Against such a gloomy outlook, the pledge by China and the three Arab countries to step up cooperation has sent a positive signal to the rest of the world, as China's commitment to expanding cooperation with the three nations in an all-round way will contribute to regional peace and development.