The 20th Arab summit was concluded in Damascus on Sunday and adopted a resolution on boosting relations with China in all domains.

The Arab leaders reiterated previous resolutions on Arab ties with China, expressing their keenness to promote relations with China in all fields, said the resolution.

Earlier in the day, Sun Bigan, China's Special Envoy on the Middle East, told Xinhua in an interview that China hopes the Arab summit in Damascus could further boost cooperation between China and Arab countries.

"We hope that the Arab summit in Damascus could further promote the traditional and friendly cooperation between China and Arab countries," said Sun.

Sun, who came to attend the Damascus summit as a representative to Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, noted that it was the first time that China sent a representative of the Foreign Minister to participate in the Arab summit.

"Such a move reflects the fact that China values its relations with the Arab countries," stressed Sun, who arrived in Damascus on Wednesday for a six-day visit.

Sun introduced that he has conducted extensive contacts with Syrian, Palestinian, Iraqi and Algerian Foreign Ministers and senior officials of the Arab League (AL) during his stay in Damascus.

AL chief Amr Moussa briefed Arab foreign ministers on the developments of the Sino-Arab Cooperation Forum at their preparatory meeting for the Damascus summit on Thursday, according to Sun.

Eleven heads of state in the 22-member pan-Arab bloc attended the two-day summit which ended in Damascus on Sunday with a declaration on a series of key Arab issues.

(Xinhua News Agency March 31, 2008)