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On July 10, 2018, the Arab foreign ministers and the Chinese Foreign Minister participated in the inauguration of the "Arab-Chinese Digital Library" for the public on the Internet. It was a momentous occasion and a significant step towards strengthening the relationship between the Arab world and China. The event took place during the closing session of the 8th Ministerial Meeting of the Arab-China Cooperation Forum, and it was a fitting end to a successful meeting. The Digital Library will provide a wealth of knowledge and resources to people worldwide, and it is a testament to the power of collaboration and cooperation between nations.

 

The Arab Chinese Digital Library project is crucial to the Arab-China Cooperation Forum's executive program. Its objective is to strengthen collaboration between China and Arab nations in libraries and information by creating a permanent mechanism for cooperation. This initiative is a significant step forward in fostering closer ties between these two regions and promoting mutual understanding. The Arab Chinese Digital Library is poised to be an essential resource for scholars, researchers, students, and the public alike, as it will provide access to a wealth of information and knowledge that was previously inaccessible.

 

the General Secretariat of the League of Arab States and the National Library of China have entered a memorandum of understanding for the preservation of libraries, information, and documents. This agreement is a significant milestone, as it is based on the Beijing Declaration issued on June 5, 2014, which marked a new phase of strategic cooperation based on "comprehensive cooperation and common development," and the ten-year development plan of the Arab-China Cooperation Forum for the period 2014-2024. The collaboration between these nations for the preservation of knowledge and information is commendable and shows a positive step towards progress.

 

As part of a regional partnership, Arab and Chinese libraries have agreed to launch twinning projects that aim to foster mutual interests. One such project is establishing an electronic portal for an Arab-Chinese digital library, offering a wealth of historical and cultural information about the Arab and Chinese civilizations in various formats. This will undoubtedly benefit Chinese students and researchers who are interested in Arab issues, as well as Arab researchers who are interested in Chinese affairs. Furthermore, through this joint effort, the partner libraries hope to facilitate information retrieval in history and culture, thereby enhancing the exchange of knowledge and understanding between the two cultures.

 

The Arab and Chinese sides created the Arab-Chinese Digital Library using the latest website design and construction technology. Their focus was on making the library easy to use, providing high-quality information sources, and ensuring future expandability of content. Another important aspect was the ability to exchange and share information sources with Arab member libraries and their Chinese counterparts. The joint committee responsible for the project, consisting of the General Secretariat of the League of Arab States, the King Abdulaziz Public Library, and the National Library of China, met to discuss the guiding policy for the library in the post-launch phase and to safeguard the intellectual property rights of the content available on the library's website. The library can be accessed at https://ar.ca-dlib.org/web/chinese-library/home

 

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