POLITICAL ISSUES
Algeria
1. Senior CPC official vows to boost co-op with Algeria's FLN
Beijing, Monday, 11 July 2011
During a meeting with the officials of Algeria's National Liberation Front (FLN), a senior official of the Communist Party of China (CPC) praised China-Algeria relations and also said that the CPC hopes to enhance its cooperation with the FLN.
Source: Xinhua, Beijing

Iran
2. China, Iran celebrate 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations
Tehran, Friday, 15 July 2011
China and Iran celebrated forty years of their diplomatic relations with a reception held at the Chinese embassy in Tehran attended by Iranian Vice President and He Guoqiang, a senior official of the Communist Party of China (CPC) who was on a three day official visit to Iran.
Source: Xinhua, Beijing

3. Senior Chinese official, Iranian president meet on bilateral ties
Tehran, Saturday. 16 July 2011
A senior official from the Communist Party of China (CPC) He Guoqiang met with the Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and discussed bilateral ties and other issues of common concern. Both sides hailed their ever expanding cooperation and discussed prospects for furthering their bilateral ties.
Source: Xinhua, Beijing; Also See; Also See

Iraq
4. Iraqi PM to visit China
Beijing, Tuesday, 12 July 2011
Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki would make his first visit to China from July 17 to 21 as the guest of his Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao. Among other things the two leaders would discuss ways of consolidating and expanding their bilateral cooperation.
Source: Xinhua, Beijing; Also See

5. Iraqi PM concludes official visit to China
Shanghai, Thursday, 21 July 2011
Upon concluding his first official visit to China,  Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki  said that the visit had further deepened the Iraq-China friendship and boosted the bilateral economic and trade cooperation.
Source: Xinhua, Beijing

Israel
6. Settlement "major obstacle" for resumption of peace talks
United Nations (New York), Tuesday, 26 July 2011
Speaking against Israeli settlement activity, the deputy permanent representative of the Chinese Mission to the UN stated that it was the major obstacle for the resumption of Palestine-Israel peace talks and that the protracted and unsettled Middle East issue is "the root cause" blocking the peace and development of the region, thus affecting world peace and stability.
Source: Xinhua, Beijing

Lebanon
7. China calls for objective, just investigation
Beijing, Tuesday, 5 July 2011
The Chinese Foreign Ministry has called for an objective and just investigation of the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri by the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL), thus restoring judicial justice, national reconciliation and wider peace in the Middle East.
Source: Xinhua, Beijing

Libya
8. China again urges political solution to Libyan crisis
Beijing, Tuesday, 5 July 2011
China has again urged the parties in Libya to start substantive dialogue and seek a political solution to the crisis. The reiteration of the position comes a few days after the African Union (AU) adopted a new road map for the Libyan crisis.
Source: Xinhua, Beijing

Morocco
9. China welcomes approval of draft constitution in Morocco
Beijing, Tuesday, 5 July 2011
China has welcomed the approval of the draft constitution in Morocco in a referendum and supported the efforts made by the Moroccan King and the government to push forward political reforms.
Source: Xinhua, Beijing

Sudan
10. China calls on world to normalise ties with Sudan
Beijing, Thursday, 14 July 2011
The Chinese deputy representative at the United Nations has called on the world to recognise and appreciate the political skill shown by the Sudanese government in bringing peace to its southern region, now an independent state. He also advocated the normalisation of relations with Khartoum in order for its citizens to be able to enjoy peace, dignity and development at the earliest.
Source: Reuters Africa

11. China welcomes accord signed by Sudan, Darfur rebel group
Beijing, Tuesday, 19 July 2011
The Chinese Foreign Ministry has welcomed the peace accord signed by the Sudanese government and the Liberation and Justice Movement (LJM), hoping that it could be substantially implemented as soon as possible.
Source: Xinhua, Beijing

12. China backs extension of peacekeeping operation in Darfur
United Nations (New York), Friday, 29 July 2011
China has supported the extension of the African Union/UN Hybrid operation in Darfur (UNAMID) to continue to implement the Security Council mandate for another year, and hoped for an early attainment of peace, prosperity and development in Darfur.
Source: Xinhua, Beijing

South Sudan
13. President congratulates on independence of South Sudan
Beijing, Saturday, 9 July 2011
In support of the creation of the new state of the Republic of South Sudan, Chinese President Hu Jintao sent a congratulatory message to President Salva Kiir Mayardit on the official founding of the state and his inauguration as the first president of the country.
Source: Xinhua, Beijing; Also See

14. China supports South Sudan's UN bid
Beijing, Tuesday, 12 July 2011
Having recognised the new independent state of South Sudan as well as established diplomatic ties at the ambassadorial level, China has announced its support for the membership of the new state to the United Nations.
Source: Xinhua, Beijing; Also See;Also See

Syria
15. China welcomes dialogue in Syria
Beijing, Thursday, 14 July 2011
The Chinese Foreign Ministry stated that China welcomes all parties in Syria to properly address disagreements through dialogues and consultation and to avoid bloodshed and safeguard stability and normal social order.
Source: Xinhua, Beijing

Turkey
16. China to enrich strategic cooperation with Turkey
Istanbul, Sunday, 10 July 2011
Senior Chinese Communist Party (CPC) official, He Guoqiang, while meeting two Turkish provincial governors, said that the Chinese government would like to enrich its strategic cooperation with the new Turkish government and raise bilateral ties to a new high. This year also marks the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Turkey.
Source: Xinhua, Beijing

United Arab Emirates
17. China, UAE vow to strengthen cooperation
Dubai, Wednesday, 13 July 2011
China and the UAE would consolidate cooperation and push forward bilateral ties to a higher level. Both sides intend to further expand their cooperation in not only trade, but also in energy sources, finance, telecommunications, railway and project contracting.
Source: Xinhua, Beijing

Economic Issues
Iran
18. China, Iran sign major infrastructure, trade agreements
Tehran, Saturday. 16 July 2011
China and Iran have signed several agreements on infrastructure and trade cooperation, re-emphasising the already strong political and economic ties between the two countries
Source: Xinhua, Beijing

19. Iran-China trade to exceed $40bn by March 2012
Tehran, Wednesday, 27 July 2011
The Iranian Ambassador to China has stated that trade between the two countries would exceed by US$40 billion by the end of the Iranian calendar year (19 March 2012).
Source: Tehran Times

20. Iran says crude sales to China going well
Tehran, Tuesday, 26 July 2011
Dismissing reports that Tehran may not be getting paid by its biggest oil buyer, an Iranian government spokesperson said that Iran is selling crude to China without any problems. Iran is China's third-largest crude supplier.
Source: Reuters Africa

Israel
21. Israel, China ink potash deal worth 235 million U.S. dollars
Jerusalem, Sunday, 10 July 2011
Israel Chemicals Ltd (ICL) has announced that, Israel and China have signed a deal worth US$235 million to provide Chinese fertilizer producers with 500,000 tons of potash in the second half of 2011.
Source: Xinhua, Beijing

Saudi Arabia
22. China approves Sinopec's plan to build Saudi refinery
Beijing, Thursday, 28 July 2011
The state-run Sinopec Group's plan to build a 400,000 barrel-per-day Yanbu refinery in Saudi Arabia has been approved by the Chinese government.
Source: Reuters Africa

South Sudan
23. China trains petroleum-related workers in South Sudan
Juba, Monday, 11 July 2011
China Engineering and Construction Corporation (CPECC) in conjunction with South Sudan's Ministry of Energy and Mining has started a free welder training course to help the South Sudanese master knowledge and techniques relevant to the petroleum industry, in which the new born state has huge potential.
Source: Xinhua, Beijing

Miscellaneous
Egypt
24. Egypt aims to boost cultural exchange with China
Cairo, Sunday, 3 July, 2011
As a part of its efforts to enhance cultural exchange with China, Egypt has approved the setting up a cultural bureau in the Chinese capital.  The bureau would help Egyptian emissaries in China to promote Egyptian culture, supervise the cultural exchange and sponsor scientific and technological projects.
Source: Xinhua, Beijing

25. Egypt participates in Chinese festival
Sunday, 24 July 2011
Egypt is participating in the Chinese Ningxia international festival for culture, arts and tourism held in the city of Yinchuan.
Source: Al-Ahram, Cairo

Sudan
26. Sudan, China inaugurate friendship hospital in Sudan
Abu Ushar, Saturday, 16 July 2011
China-Sudan Friendship Hospital for Maternity and Child Care in Abu Ushar area, built in cooperation with China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation (CFPA)  was inaugurated by Sudan's central Gezira state and the Sudanese Ministry of Health, where the Gezira state governor called the medical construction an evidence of strong Sino-Sudanese ties.  
Source: Xinhua, Beijing

Compiled By Debak Das

Debak Das is an Intern with the Middle East Institute, New Delhi. Email

As part of the policy, the MEI@ND standardizes spellings and date format to make the text uniformly accessible and stylistically consistent. The views expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views/positions of the MEI@ND. Editor, MEI@ND P R Kumaraswamy