China-Arab Cooperation in the New Era & the Digital Silk Road

Against the backdrop of evolving times, traditional China-Arab cooperation centered on energy trade is undergoing continuous transformation and upgrading. The Digital Silk Road has emerged as a core new driving force for China-Arab cooperation and the building of a China-Arab community with a shared future, standing also as a key topic at the 10th Shanghai Forum on Middle Eastern Studies. As the digital extension of the Belt and Road Initiative, it aligns with the highly compatible digital development needs of China and Arab states, and dovetails with transformation strategies of Middle Eastern countries including Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, fostering a mutually beneficial model for digital cooperation.

China and Arab states have yielded fruitful outcomes in digital cooperation. A host of landmark projects have been launched in digital infrastructure such as 5G, cloud computing, the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System and smart cities. Progress has also been made in cross-border e-commerce, artificial intelligence and digital governance, helping Middle Eastern nations diversify their industrial structure and move away from an economy overly reliant on energy. The two sides have jointly implemented initiatives on data security cooperation, and carried out exchanges in digital culture and talent development, achieving all-round connectivity in technology, security and people-to-people bonds.

From an academic and strategic perspective, China-Arab digital cooperation embraces the new research paradigm of a “Global Middle East”, breaking the Western monopoly over digital discourse. It also serves as a vital practice for China to develop an independent knowledge system of Middle Eastern studies. Going forward, China and Arab countries will further synergize digital strategies and expand cooperation on emerging technologies. The Digital Silk Road will keep fueling high-quality bilateral development and set a fine example for digital cooperation among countries of the Global South.

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