ACTIVE AND CONSTRUCTIVE.docVIP

ACTIVE AND CONSTRUCTIVE 　　In his New Year Message for 2016 on December 31， 2015， Chinese President Xi Jinping noted， “The world is so big and faces so many problems， and the international community wants to hear Chinas voice and see China’s solutions. China cannot be absent.” 　　Soon after， Xi set this diplomatic vision into action with a visit to the Middle East on January 19-23， traveling to Saudi Arabia， Egypt and Iran in turn. 　　The Middle East was one of the cradles of human civilization. Yet the region has been plagued with various kinds of problems， ethnic and religious conflicts in particular， that have hampered its development. Especially over the last decade and a half―starting with the Iraq and Afghanistan wars―and since the outbreak of the so-called “Arab Spring” five years ago， it has been haunted by persistent turbulence and bloodshed that has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives and displaced millions. 　　Today many people in the region are suffering from exacerbated poverty， frustration and sectarian conflicts as well as rampant extremism， but are praying for peace and the opportunity to improve their livelihoods. 　　Against this backdrop， Xis Middle East visit was eagerly welcomed. Over the course of his visit， Xis announcements of China’s assistance for anti-terrorism and humanitarian efforts， as well as the fruitful outcomes agreed to between leaders have not only strengthened bilateral ties between China and the three host countries but also brought new hope for peace and development in the region. 　　 Contributions 　　In the wake of the unprecedented chaos of the“Arab Spring” and several wars， many countries in the Middle East are hoping to get on the right track for social transition and development， said Liao Baizhi in an interview with Beijing Review. Liao is deputy director of the Institute of Middle East Studies under the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations. 　　In the meantime， economic relations and personnel exchan