POLITICAL ISSUES
ALGERIA
1) China, Algeria to jointly push for progress in partnership
Algiers, 8 February 2015
During a meeting with Algerian Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal, Chinese state councillor Yang Jiechi said that both countries will work together to strengthen high-level dialogue. Yang also met with President Abdelaziz Bouteflika and pledged to work for closer ties.
Source: China Daily, Beijing

IRAN
2) Iran president calls for stronger ties with China
Tehran, 16 February 2015
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani met visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and assured him that Iran wants to further advance its relations with China. He showed interest in China's Silk Road Economic Belt and Maritime Silk Road initiatives.
Source: China Daily, Beijing

3) China calls for confidence over Iran nuclear issue
Beijing, 25 February 2015
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hong Lei said that China called for confidence from all parties involved in the Iranian nuclear talks to achieve a comprehensive deal.
Source: China Daily, Beijing

UAE
4) China, UAE agree to boost cooperation, ties
Abu Dhabi, 15 February 2015
China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi held a meeting with his UAE counterpart Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed al-Nahyan and both agreed to boost strategic partnership and bilateral cooperation.
Source: China Daily, Beijing

5) UAE ready to be gateway to better ties of China, Arab world
Dubai, 15 February 2015
While meeting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, UAE Vice President Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid -Maktoum said that his country would like to be the gateway to better ties between China and Gulf countries.
Source: China Daily, Beijing

YEMEN
6) China calls for dialogue in Yemen
Beijing, 10 February 2015
Hua Chunying, Foreign Ministry spokesperson, said that China urged all parties involved in Yemen to resolve disputes through dialogue and restore national stability at the earliest.
Source: China Daily, Beijing

MISCELLANEOUS ISSUES
EGYPT
7) Maritime Silk Road can increase Sino-Arab cooperation
Quanzhou, 13 February 2015
Galal Mohamed Noman, former Egyptian ambassador to China said that the Maritime Silk Road and New Suez Canal will make an unprecedented and innovative contribution to Chinese and Egyptian development.
Source: China Daily, Beijing

8) Thousands join in the festival spirit in Egypt
Cairo, 18 February 2015
Egypt celebrated the Chinese Spring Festival in the Maadi Island Park along the River Nile in Cairo. Liu Shiping, executive director of the China Culture Centre in Cairo said that the number of Egyptians taking part in the festival has risen from 2,000 in 2010 to 11,000 this year.
Source: China Daily, Beijing

ISRAEL
9) Chinese company launches innovation contest to tech companies in Israel
Tel Aviv, 3 February 2015
Chinese Shengjing360 group and Israeli venture capital firm Jerusalem Venture Partners (JVP) launched a new "Global Innovation" award for innovative start-ups. The award value is US$1 million and would be awarded in August 2015.
Source: China Daily, Beijing

10) Guizhou agriculture to benefit from Israeli links
Beijing, 12 February 2015
The Israel-Guizhou Agriculture Seminar opened in Guiyang, in the Guizhou province. The Agricultural Committee of Guizhou and Israeli Consulate General in Chengdu made agreements during the seminar to jointly build the Agricultural Cooperation Demonstration Zone covering 666,666 square meters in the next four years.
Source: China Daily, Beijing

TURKEY
11) Turkish retired general urges purchase of Chinese missiles
Istanbul, 22 February 2015
Ismail Hakki Pekin, former head of intelligence unit of chief of staff and deputy-chairperson of the Turkish Patriotic Party, welcomed the Turkish decision to buy the Chinese long range surface-to-air missile system.
Source: China Daily, Beijing

UAE
12) Air Arabia to enter China
Beijing, 7 February 2015
Starting from 10 February 2015, UAE carrier Air Arabia will launch non-stop services to China. Flights will depart Sharjah in the morning on Tuesday, Friday and Sunday and arrive at Urumqi that evening.
Source: China Daily, Beijing

COMPILED BY DIPANWITA CHAKRAVORTTY

Dipanwita Chakravortty is a doctoral candidate in School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.  Email

As part of its editorial policy, the MEI@ND standardizes spelling and date formats 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