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Consul General Li Xuhang Was Interviewed by Emirates News Agency
2022-04-28 22:55

On April 25, Consul General Li Xuhang in Dubai accepted an exclusive interview with a reporter from the Emirates News Agency (WAM). In the interview, Li Xuhang elaborated and interpreted the "Global Security Initiative" proposed by President Xi Jinping in the keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the Boao Forum for Asia in 2022, China's protection of freedom of religious belief, China-UAE friendly cooperation and the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.


On the same day, the WAM carried out reports on the interview with images and videos in Chinese, Arabic and English. On the 26th, a number of local media such as Al Bayan and HeadTopics forwarded the reports.


Reports by WAM: https://wam.ae/ar/details/1395303042500 


Attachment: The English translation of the full text of the interview questions and answers.



Consul General Li Xuhang's answers to the reporter's questions from Emirates News Agency.

2022.4.25


Reporter: Would you please describe the Ramadan reception in China for the Arab communities there?

Li Xuhang: Ramadan is the most auspicious and noble month of the year for Muslims around the world. First of all, through your agency, I would like to extend my best wishes to the Muslim friends in the consular area during Ramadan! There are nearly 30 million Chinese Muslim in China, who are distributed in various provinces and over ten ethnic groups. Religious beliefs are fully protected by law in China. The Muslims in China are enjoying Ramadan just like other Muslims around the world. Chinese governments at all levels attach great importance to the Muslim tradition of Ramadan. During Ramadan, leaders at all levels will visit Muslim families or hold panel meetings to send festive greetings to Chinese Muslim and listen to their opinions. Islamic associations from all over the country will also send people to mosques and related places in advance for safety and health inspections, so as to ensure safety and smooth logistics for Ramadan.

Speaking of the Arab community in China, I used to work in Yiwu, a city in the Zhejiang Province of China. Many Arab Muslim friends from all over the Middle East are working and living there. During Ramadan, they also practice and spread the good by fasting, praying, and charity to promote the Ramadan tradition of solidarity, cooperation, friendship and mutual assistance. Chinese Muslims enjoy holidays for Eid al-Fitr. During the festival, some tourist attractions are open to Muslims for free, and people of all ethnic groups would send good wishes to Muslim brothers and sisters and share their joy during Eid al-Fitr, which is a demonstration of harmony between all ethnic and religious groups in China.

Reporter: In your opinion, how do you see the month of Ramadan in Dubai? Is it different from other months?

Li Xuhang: I feel deeply the atmosphere of peace and fraternity unique to Ramadan. The virtues of tenacity, self-control, mutual assistance and fraternity are also the common values of all mankind. Personally I am very happy that we can strengthen our friendship with the UAE friends during Ramadan by sending greetings and exchanging gifts. This Friday, in support of the event of donating1 billion iftar initiated by His Highness Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Chinese Consulate General in Dubai and local Overseas Chinese communities plan to jointly organize a donation event of iftar worth over 100,000 dirhams. Representatives from Community Development Authority in Dubai and I will be present. The Chinese Consulate General and overseas Chinese communities in Dubai have held similar Ramadan donation activities for many years.

At the same time, my colleagues and I also deeply felt Dubai's culture of openness, diversity and inclusiveness. In Dubai, western people can celebrate Christmas, and Chinese people can celebrate Spring Festival. With the advancement of science and technology and the in-depth development of globalization, the world is increasingly evolving into a global village. People from different ethnic groups, religions, and cultural backgrounds are more closely connected. How should we get along? Dubai has made a good attempt in this regard and has created the "Dubai Miracle" in which people from over 200 countries in the world coexist harmoniously. With openness, diversity and inclusiveness, it has made beneficial exploration of building a community with a shared future for mankind and leading the development direction of the world through communication, learning from each other, jointly contributing to and sharing the achievements.

Reporter: China and the UAE enjoy strong relations. On this occasion, what messages would you like to send to the UAE?

Li Xuhang: Under the joint leadership of the leaders of the two countries, the century-long plan of the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and the UAE has entered a "Golden Era". The UAE has become the Middle East country who has the deepest, most extensive and most fruitful cooperation with China. China-UAE relations have become a role model for strategic cooperation between countries of different regions, cultures and types.

“A friend in need is a friend indeed.” Over the past two years since the outbreak of COVID-19, China and the UAE have overcome the difficulties, setting a role model for international cooperation in fighting the epidemic. China's Sinopharm vaccine has successfully completed the phase 3 clinical trials and is being produced in the UAE. The UAE government supported China to carry out the "Spring Sprout Action". Dubai's Nahikh Group has reduced the rent of Chinese merchants in Dragon Mart. Here, on behalf of the overseas Chinese in the consular district, I would like to express heartfelt thanks to the fraternal UAE people! The UAE has been at the forefront of the world in controlling the epidemic and restoring the economy. I wish the UAE more brilliant achievements in the post-epidemic era!

Reporter: Recently, Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed a Global Security Initiative in his speech at the opening ceremony of the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2022. What do you think of this new initiative?

Li Xuhang: On April 21, the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2022 opened. Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered a keynote speech and proposed a Global Security Initiative. In the initiative he stated that security is the precondition for development and we humanity are living in an indivisible security community. It is important that we stay committed to the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security; stay committed to taking the legitimate security concerns of all countries seriously, uphold the principle of indivisible security, build a balanced, effective and sustainable security architecture. The Global Security Initiative proposed by President Xi Jinping expresses a security philosophy of sharing, participation, and common interests, which is another international public product provided by China. It vividly demonstrates the idea of a community with a shared future for mankind in the field of security. This initiative is open to the world and all countries are welcome to participate in it.

This year, China held the Winter Olympics and the UAE held the World Expo. The success of both events embodies the two peoples’ spirit of rising to the challenges, pursuing excellence, and creating a better future together. It has prompted exchanges between cultures, and played a key role in promoting solidarity, cooperation and joint efforts to overcome difficulties globally. It has also brought confidence and hope to a world overshadowed by instability, and sent the world a message of our times -- Together for a Shared Future. Facing a turbulent world with so many global challenges, countries must cooperate rather than confront each other. It is rejecting zero-sum game mentality and working together to build a community with a shared future for mankind that is on the right side of history, and that can bring the world sustained security and prosperity.


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