The 7th China-Arab States Expo successfully concluded on Sunday in Yinchuan, capital city of northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, having facilitated billions of dollars in intended cooperation agreements and attracted a record number of participants from around the world.
According to a press conference held by the local government, the expo, kicking off Thursday, hosted more than 40 investment promotion events, and reached 331 cooperation agreements with a total intended value of 107.75 billion yuan (around 15.06 billion U.S. dollars). Among these, 28 projects were worth over 1 billion yuan each, accounting for 78.57 billion yuan or 72.9 percent of the total intended investment.
The event drew extensive participation from senior officials, including foreign political leaders, ministerial-level representatives, high-level delegates from international organizations, and diplomatic envoys based in China.
More than 17,800 participants took part in the expo, including over 7,600 distinguished guests and representatives from more than 2,200 business associations, enterprises, and institutions spanning 75 countries and regions - making this year's expo the largest in its history in terms of scale and international attendance.
Marking a historic first, all 22 Arab countries are taking part, alongside delegations from China's 31 provincial-level regions, and Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, the two special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macao and Taiwan region.
Launched in 2013, the China-Arab States Expo has held six editions, serving as a major platform to boost cooperation between China and Arab countries. A multitude of cooperation projects across various fields, including modern agriculture, high and new technology, energy, and chemical industries, have been reached.
China has been the Arab states' largest trading partner for years. Bilateral trade reached 407.4 billion U.S. dollars in 2024, up 2.3 percent year on year.
7th China-Arab States Expo concludes with record participation, major deals
A former television host from Taiwan, Zhai Xuan, has made a pivotal decision to leave mainstream broadcasting in order to create content that provides a better understanding of the Chinese mainland and cross-strait relations.
Zhai, a seasoned television host with over a decade of experience in Taiwan's media landscape, recently addressed an audience at an event in Beijing, where she revealed her complete transition into independent online media.
In her remarks, she articulated her aspiration to bridge what she perceives as a significant information gap between audiences on both sides of the Strait, highlighting her commitment to fostering a deeper understanding and connection through her new endeavors.
"I was really surprised by all the fake news. There were stories saying people on the mainland can't afford tea eggs or that they live in mud houses and in Taiwan, this was the main information many people received," said Zhai.
Zhai said she initially began producing online videos to challenge such perceptions while continuing her work as a television host.
In April 2025, she travelled to the mainland with her father to fulfill her late grandfather's wish to return to his hometown. The trip, which reunited family members separated since 1949, was recorded in a video series titled "Journey to Find Our Roots", drawing attention from viewers in both Taiwan and the mainland.
"Many people in Taiwan told me that after watching, they wanted to apply for a mainland travel permit immediately and go looking for their relatives. Some had long forgotten these things, but after seeing my story, they began thinking about their hometowns and family members they had never met and decided to search for their roots," Zhai shared her story at the event.
By mid-2025, Zhai said she began to feel increasing pressure amid rising political tensions and a tightening atmosphere around cross-Strait exchanges in Taiwan.
After more than 12 years in the industry, Zhai resigned from her position, believing it was the right thing to do.
"At that moment, I felt this was a major issue，not just for me, but for Chinese people on both sides of the Strait. If I backed down then, I wouldn’t be standing on the right side," said Zhai.
Since leaving television, Zhai has broadened her online programming to encompass a range of daily-life topics, including practical guidance on applying for a mainland travel permit and using commonly employed mobile applications, in addition to content that delves into historical memory and cultural connections across the Strait.
As the debate over cross-Strait relations continues in Taiwan, Zhai said she remains committed to her current path.
Former Taiwan TV host bridges cross-Strait divide via online media
