China–Qatar Youth Dialogue Highlights Expanding Role of Youth in Bilateral Cooperation

rki.news

BY Haroon Rashid Qureshi

Doha, Qatar – 10 December 2025
The Third China–Qatar Youth Dialogue convened on Wednesday at St. Regis Marsa Arabia Island, The Pearl-Qatar, bringing together youth leaders, academics, business representatives, government officials, and students from both nations. The event reaffirmed the growing cultural and strategic partnership between China and Qatar, placing young people at the center of future cooperation and highlighting their role in shaping the long-term trajectory of bilateral ties.
Delivering the keynote address, His Excellency Mr. Cao Xiaolin, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to the State of Qatar, emphasized youth engagement as a defining pillar of China–Qatar relations. The dialogue’s theme, “Exchange and Mutual Benefit, Advancing Hand in Hand,” reflects mutual respect and the shared desire to promote understanding and friendship between the two countries.
Youth as Bridges of Cooperation
Ambassador Cao highlighted the increasing number of Chinese youth fluent in Arabic and the rising interest of Qatari youth in learning Chinese language and culture. “This dialogue is not only an exchange of language, but a dialogue of hearts,” he said, noting that youth-led connections create opportunities for cooperation in education, culture, trade, technology, and innovation.
He stressed that growing people-to-people exchanges help build trust, strengthen communication, and create new opportunities for collaboration across both public and private sectors. He also noted that these youth interactions foster greater awareness of each country’s social and cultural achievements, inspiring future initiatives that benefit both nations.
Historic Civilizational Links and Modern Strategic Ties
Recalling the long history of exchange between China and the Arab world, Ambassador Cao pointed to the Silk Road and the Chinese artifacts at the National Museum of Qatar as evidence of longstanding ties. He reaffirmed that the China–Qatar strategic partnership—nurtured under President Xi Jinping and His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani—continues to reach new heights economically, culturally, and academically. China remains Qatar’s largest trading partner and largest export destination for the fifth consecutive year, reflecting strong complementarity and shared development goals. Cultural cooperation, academic exchanges, and joint youth programs are also increasing, strengthening long-term bilateral relations.
Shared Global Vision and Expectations for Youth
Ambassador Cao outlined China’s four global initiatives: Development, Security, Civilization, and Governance, emphasizing multilateralism, peaceful cooperation, and inclusive development. He stressed that both countries, as members of the Global South, share aspirations for a fair and peaceful global order reflecting developing nations’ interests.
Addressing the youth, he outlined four expectations: be bridges of cooperation, using cross-cultural understanding to deepen ties; be innovators and leaders, contributing to breakthroughs in technology, AI, energy, and the digital economy; be ambassadors of mutual understanding, promoting people-to-people connections through language, research, and cultural initiatives; and be advocates for global harmony, addressing shared challenges and supporting peaceful development.
He expressed confidence that the dialogue will serve as a catalyst for future collaboration, helping both nations nurture a generation committed to partnership, innovation, and shared prosperity. Ambassador Cao added that continued engagement of youth in bilateral programs will contribute to long-lasting cultural understanding, stronger academic ties, and mutual respect across generations.
As Qatar prepares to celebrate its National Day, Ambassador Cao extended warm congratulations to its leadership and people and expressed hope for an even stronger friendship between the two nations in the years ahead.