A former Egyptian ambassador to China has shared his views on the role of the Maritime Silk Road in relation to Arab-Chinese trade and cultural relations, speaking at an international seminar on the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, in the city of Quanzhou, Fujian Province, on Feb. 11.

Galal Mohamed Noman, former Egyptian ambassador to China, during a seminar on the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, in Quanzhou, Fujian, on Feb. 11. [Photo by Liu Xiaoyu for China Daily]

Galal Mohamed Noman is also a specialist in Chinese affairs who says he believes that the Silk Road and the Economic Belt along with the Maritime Silk Road and New Suez Canal will make an unprecedented and innovative contribution to Chinese and Egyptian development and to the world.

Sino-Arab relations date back to the 9th century, Galal continued, “and have all the factors for outstanding economic development through beneficial cooperation. They have human resources, vast markets, and natural recourses. All they need is an innovative approach, where the three initiatives could be instrumental,” referring to the new Maritime and Land Silk Roads and the new Suez Canal.

He went on to explain that the new Silk Road and its Economic Belt and the new Maritime Road will increase China’s economic, trade and cultural relations with the whole world and, rather than being based on direct or indirect hard power, such as cut-throat competition, rivalry, wars, civil wars and proxy wars, they represent a new civilization based on China’s soft power, its traditions, concepts, principles, values, and vision for international relations based on the economy, trade, investment and culture.

Galal explains that the New Suez Canal, now under construction, will be in operation in less than two years and, “will add an important pillar for world trade to the old Suez Canal”.

He says that it is not only a waterway for big tankers and ships to go from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean, carrying goods from Asia to Europe, but will also have banks, economic zones and cultural centers Alongside. And, the new Maritime Silk Road from China to Europe will increase trade and communications.

“The prospects of these new initiatives for Arab-Chinese relations are huge,” he notes, adding that new horizons will penup, not only between China and the Arab countries but between China and the world at large.

Host of the two-day seminar was China’s State Council Information Office, with help from the Xinhua News Agency, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, China International Publishing Group, and Fujian Academy of Social Sciences. It pulled in almost 3000 academics and experts from seeveral dozen countries to discuss ways to build a "21st Century Maritime Silk Road".

By China Daily Fujian Bureau.