The 2024 China-Arab Youth Development Forum and China-Arab Youth Leaders Exchange Camp, themed "Empowering through digitalization, innovating for development," commenced in Haikou, Hainan, on Monday.

Over 200 young representatives from China, Arab League countries, and nations, including the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Egypt, Palestine, Djibouti, and Qatar, gathered to explore the future of digital empowerment and innovative development.

Feng Fei, secretary of the Communist Party of China Hainan Provincial Committee, highlighted Hainan province's pivotal role as a key node on the Maritime Silk Road, actively integrating into the Belt and Road Initiative and China-Arab cooperation, in the opening speech. He noted collaborative achievements with partners like the Jebel Ali Free Zone in Dubai, fostering the Global Free Trade Zone (Port) Partnership Initiative. Encouraging youth to leverage the forum as a vital platform for mutual learning, friendship cultivation and joint growth, he urged them to innovate and become proactive contributors to the China-Arab community.