Guests and visitors walk in front of the Ningxia International Conference Center, which hosts the opening ceremony of the China-Arab States Expo in Yinchuan, the capital of Ningxia on Sept 10, 2015.[Photo by Wu Yanpeng/China Daily]

Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a letter of congratulation to The China-Arab States Expo. The forum was held in Yinchuan, capital city of Northwest China's Ningxia Hui autonomous region on Thursday.

Here's a full text of Xi's letter.

Congratulatory letter from President Xi Jinping to 2015 China-Arab States Expo

On the occasion of the opening of the 2015 China-Arab States Expo, on behalf of the Chinese central government and the people and speaking in my own name, I would like to warmly congratulate you on the expo and extend our sincere welcome to all the foreign leaders and distinguished guests.

Under the theme of "Promoting the Spirit of Silk Road, Enhancing China-Arab States Cooperation ", this expo bears great significance in carrying forward the exchanges and cooperation between China and Arab states, deepening the friendship of people from both sides and improving our pragmatic cooperative relationship.

China and the Arab states are friends with mutual trust and partners walking hand in hand on the path to realize mutual development. During the opening ceremony of the sixth ministerial meeting of the China-Arab Cooperation Forum last year, I proposed that China and the Arab states build the Belt and Road Initiatives together, which received a positive response from Arab countries. Now cooperation in related fields are being accelerated. China, adhering to the Silk Road Spirit of peace and cooperation, openness and inclusiveness, learning from each other, mutual benefits and win-win results, will work with all the countries in the world including the Arab countries to facilitate mutual development and improve the well-being of people in all the countries in the world.

I wish the expo a great success.

President of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping

Sept 10, 2015