Dr Azmi Bishara, General Director of the Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies, alongside a number of researchers working at the Center, received a delegation of Chinese academics on Monday, November 19. The delegation was led by Yang Fuchang, formerly a Deputy to China's Foreign Minister, and included key esteemed academics and researchers working at Chinese research centers, including: Professor Liu Zhongminh; Professor Xue Qingguo; Professor Wu Bingbing and the Secretary of the group, Feng Kai. Accompanying the delegation were some of the Chinese diplomats based in Doha, including: Mi Ling, Deputy Head of the Chinese Mission in Qatar and Gao Shangtao, the Second Diplomatic Secretary at the Chinese Embassy in Doha.

Convening a round table discussion, alongside Dr Bishara, the ACRPS was also represented by members of its research staff, including Head of Research, Dr Ali Abdelgadir Ali, Dr Abdulwahhab Al Qassab, Mr Jamal Barout, Dr Huda Hawa, Dr Mohammed Almasri and Dr Elnour Hamad.

In addition to providing a general picture of the prevailing circumstances in the Arab world, Dr.  Bishara, opened the roundtable discussion, by describing Arab countries' perception of China and the way in which the Arab public vigorously follows developments in China, particularly when it comes to its economic growth. The two hour discussions focused on Sino-Arab relations; the perception of China in the Arab world; and Arab public opinion of the Chinese stance on the Arab revolutions, with particular emphasis on Syria. Before a formal luncheon held in honour of the guests, the participants discussed how cooperation between Chinese academic institutions and the ACRPS could be further enhanced.