Interview: Closer Belt and Road cooperation to strengthen Jordan-China partnership, says expert

AMMAN, Dec. 13 (Xinhua) -- The signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to push for closer Belt and Road cooperation between China and Jordan will open new horizons for the partnership between the two countries, said Jordanian economic expert Awny Al Dawoud.

China and Jordan signed the MoU on Belt and Road cooperation in late November, pledging to actively promote policy coordination, infrastructure connectivity, unimpeded trade, financial integration and people-to-people ties and further deepen practical cooperation in various fields.

China is now Jordan's second-largest trading partner. Bilateral ties in all fields remain uninterrupted since the two countries established diplomatic relations 46 years ago, said Al Dawoud, head of Jordan's Al-Dustour Centre for Economic Studies.

"I believe that this memorandum comes as a culmination of the Jordan-China relations that have extended throughout history," he told Xinhua in a recent interview.

Al Dawoud said the agreement will open the door for new areas of cooperation as Jordan is now pursuing an economic modernization vision, which is focused on "creating jobs, attracting investments and driving economic growth."

Signing the agreement is an important move as the Middle Eastern country's shift toward modernization requires investments in fields of energy, infrastructure and other areas, and "this can be enhanced after the signing of the MoU with China," he said.

"We hope to see more Chinese investments in Jordan and even at the regional level as China also enjoys good relations in the region," he added.

In the sectors of culture, media and education, China and Jordan enjoy close ties, noted the expert, adding that as the Belt and Road Initiative also focuses on cultural exchanges and youth cooperation, the MoU increases the opportunities for collaboration in these fields.

Al Dawoud called for closer cooperation between both sides in the public, government, private, academic and media sectors.