JEDDAH: China’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia has praised the cultural role the Kingdom plays globally, as he toured the King Abdel Aziz Public Library. Ambassador Li Huaxin expressed his happiness for visiting the library, which he said has worked in cooperation with the Chinese side, through one of its famed universities; the University of Beijing. Li stressed the importance of “the excellent relations between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the People’s Republic of China and that they constitute excellent relations, pointing out that “the presence of a branch of the King Abdulaziz Public Library at Beijing University is significant and adds a new dimension to the joint cultural work.” He also said that the project of establishing an Arab-Chinese knowledge portal is a remarkable development that will reflect the depth of the Arab-Chinese relations. He expressed hope that the project will realize the aspirations of both countries for further cooperation and interaction between the two cultures. During his visit, the Chinese Ambassador toured the King Abdul Aziz Public Library and was briefed on the library’s different cultural perspectives and its comprehensive knowledge strategy. He also listened to a presentation by the Deputy General Supervisor of the Library, Dr. Abdul Karim Bin Abdulrahman Al-Zaid. The Chinese ambassador’s visit to the library comes within the framework of strengthening cultural relations between Saudi Arabia and China, particularly since the King Abdulaziz Public Library is preparing for the second meeting of the Board of Directors of its branch in China this weekend. During the meeting, the board is expected to address the completion of its strategic plans and organizational arrangements to achieve the desired objectives of launching this cultural edifice in Asia, which will be chaired by the library’s general supervisor, Faisal Muammar. The library’s branch was opened in March 2017, during a visit by the library’s deputy director-general, Dr. Abdulkarim Al-Zaid, to serve as a cultural center to promote the exchange of knowledge and culture between China and the Arab world, and to support the teaching of Arabic language in Chinese universities and provide electronic books and sources of information in Arabic , thus contributing to opening the horizons of scientific cooperation and knowledge.