The Belt and Road Initiative Ten Years On:

The Middle East Council on Global Affairs (ME Council) co-hosted a workshop titled “The Belt and Road Initiative Ten Years On: Challenges, Opportunities, and Prospects for China-Middle East Cooperation” in partnership with the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences (SASS). The event took place on April 25-26, 2024, at SASS. This workshop marked the third in a series aimed at fostering cooperation between China and the Middle East under the “One Belt, One Road” initiative, following previous events held in Shanghai and Doha in 2018 and 2019. 

During the opening ceremony, Wang Dezhong, President of SASS, and Tarik M. Yousef, Director of the Middle East Council on Global Affairs, delivered speeches on behalf of the organizers and exchanged memorandums of understanding. 

Over the course of the one-and-a-half-day workshop, scholars from the Middle East and China engaged in in-depth discussions on various topics, including China’s role in the Middle East, investment and trade cooperation under the Belt and Road initiative, and energy and climate change issues. Discussions covered practical concerns, theoretical considerations, and prospects for China-Middle East cooperation, with participants exchanging thoughts and views on challenges and opportunities of the relationship. 

Following productive discussions, the organizers agreed to deepen collaboration through regular workshops, scholar exchanges, and collaborative research. The fourth workshop is tentatively planned for Doha in April 2025.