Abu Dhabi book fair unveils Arabic edition of Chinese President Xi Jinping's book

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

As part of the activities of the 33rd Abu Dhabi International Book Fair (ADIBF 2024), the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC) organised an event to present the Arabic edition of the Chinese President Xi Jinping's book ‘The Belt and Road Initiative’, which was released in September 2013 to promote cultural exchange, cooperation, and innovation in various fields between China and European and Asian countries.

The event was attended by Zhang Yiming, Chinese Ambassador to the UAE; Mohamed Al Mubarak, Chairman of the Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi); Dr. Ali bin Tamim, Chairman of the ALC; and Du Zhanyuan, President of the China International Communications Group (CICG).

Ambassador Zhang Yiming praised the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair and its continuous development, which has transformed it into one of the largest and most influential book fairs in the Middle East. He expressed his delight at organising the event to present the Chinese President’s initiative in Arabic, which has added to the strong Chinese presence in this year’s Fair, opening a new window for Arab readers to explore the effects of cooperation within the framework of this initiative.

Arab-Chinese cooperation

Attendees stressed the necessity of Arab-Chinese cooperation through various initiatives to bridge the gap on cultural and linguistic differences, while working to chart a common path for China and Arab countries, formulating economic and political policies that could lead to international relations based on mutual interests, and paving the way for reaching a common destiny for humanity.

The event included a keynote session moderated by Liu Shuangyan, Director of the International Cooperation Department at CICG. The session focused on Chinese-Emirati and Arab relations, bringing together representatives from various centres specialising in Arab-Chinese affairs, who cited the series of initiatives that have been implemented to strengthen Arab-Chinese cooperation, bridging cultural and linguistic differences. Participants highlighted the scientific and practical significance of the Chinese President’s initiative and its role in strengthening communication among nations and promoting the exchange of knowledge.

The Arabic edition of the book was presented as a gift to the DCT Abu Dhabi and attending dignitaries, underscoring that the cultural relations between the UAE and China are strong and continuously evolving and adding new milestones, such as China’s selection as Guest of Honour at the 27th Abu Dhabi International Book Fair in 2017.

The UAE and China have maintained strategic and continually evolving bilateral relations for 40 years, driven by the UAE’s commitment to enhancing dialogue between different cultures and finding common ground that preserves the country’s principles of accepting others, harmony, and advocating for cultural tolerance. The objective is to establish common ground for a true partnership, which leads to further development based on respect for history, traditions, customs, values, and heritage.