STORY: Arab diplomatic envoys expect more China-Arab cooperation
SHOOTING TIME: Nov. 17, 2023
DATELINE: Dec. 1, 2023
LENGTH: 0:02:44
LOCATION: HAIKOU, China
CATEGORY: ENVIRONMENT

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the delegation of diplomatic envoys visiting Hainan
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): ASSEM HANAFI, Ambassador of Egypt to China
3. various of the delegation of diplomatic envoys visiting Hainan
4. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): MILIA JABBOUR, Ambassador of Lebanon to China
5. various of the delegation of diplomatic envoys visiting Hainan
6. SOUNDBITE 3 (English): OMER MOHAMED AHMED SIDDIG, Ambassador of Sudan to China
7. SOUNDBITE 4 (English): ASSEM HANAFI, Ambassador of Egypt to China

STORYLINE:

A delegation of diplomatic envoys from 20 Arab countries on Thursday concluded a four-day visit to South China's Hainan, hailing China's achievements in free trade port construction, tropical agriculture, space technology, and ecological civilization.

After visiting Damao village in Sanya, a rural destination famous for ecotourism, Assem Hanafi, Ambassador of Egypt to China, was impressed with the rapid and sustainable development.

SOUNDBITE 1 (English): ASSEM HANAFI, Ambassador of Egypt to China
"We are very impressed with the pace of development that took place, the sustainable development, because this is a development that has not been at the expense of nature. So nature and culture, local crafts all have been preserved and actually developed along with tourism, along with the scientific community.
I shall be an advocate for that. Having been here, having witnessed all these marvelous territory and land, I shall be an advocate and shall promote this very promising collaboration."

Lebanese Ambassador to China Milia Jabbour was particularly struck by the harmony between development projects and nature in Hainan.

SOUNDBITE 2 (English): MILIA JABBOUR, Ambassador of Lebanon to China
"What impressed me most is how everything has been developed. We can see that people are working in this land, they know what they want. They have a vision, a clear vision and they are implementing it slowly. But at the same time, so much in connection with nature. And this is very important."

During the visit to a date palm plantation in Wenchang City, the envoys were impressed by the agricultural development, particularly regarding introducing foreign plant species and utilizing advanced Chinese technological know-how.

SOUNDBITE 3 (English): OMER MOHAMED AHMED SIDDIG, Ambassador of Sudan to China
"We are highly impressed by the development you have, particularly in terms of agriculture. 
Now we are here you see you know lots of plants and agriculture species are brought from abroad and are well taken care of, really impressed by this kind of development. And now, I think the Chinese technical know-how will improve the products, these products, particularly these trees."

SOUNDBITE 4 (English): ASSEM HANAFI, Ambassador of Egypt to China
"We are aware that there are so many experts from Egypt, who are collaborating with their counterparts here in the field of agriculture, field of dates plantation. Egypt is the number one producer of dates in the world. So this is a very good potential for agricultural exchange."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Haikou, China.
(XHTV)