Jordan, China share same goals for steady economy, peace — ambassador

Pan Weifang

AMMAN — Jordan has "excellent human resources" and an educated population "more internationalised than the Chinese", according to China's Ambassador to Jordan Pan Weifang.

Delivering a lecture recently at the Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Knowledge Forum on "China's Policy in the Arab World", the ambassador stressed the significance of Chinese-Arab economic ties and the need to improve them.

"China has to become more involved in donation and economic support in the Mideast and Africa," he said.

The ambassador, who was appointed to the Kingdom in December last year, added that, these regions are of vital importance for China's economic boom due to raw materials — oil, natural gas and minerals. 

Recently, China decided to invest $55 billion in Middle Eastern infrastructure, he elaborated.

China and Jordan share the same goals — peace, security and stability as preconditions of steady economic, cultural and social development, the ambassador noted.

A country of around 1.4 billion people, China is the second largest world economy and the first trading country in the world; however, Beijing seeks to "create better economic conditions for the whole population of China by more balanced internal development", according to the diplomat.

"It's not an easy task to provide equal economic and living standards for all regions within such a diverse country because China’s western provinces are not as advanced as south-eastern and eastern," Weifang said.

The aim of Chinese business experts is to focus on high-technology instead of low quality products in order to cope with American and West European competition in the global market, he added.

In that regard, peace and political stability are essential for economic cooperation, the diplomat emphasised. 

Consequently, China established institutions in the Arab world where Arabs can study Mandarin and learn about Chinese culture, while Arab businesspeople are encouraged to invest in China, he said.

"Around 120 million Chinese citizens travel annually around the world as tourists. We also encourage our citizens to start businesses abroad and begin collaboration with foreign entrepreneurs," the ambassador added.