BEIJING -- Chinese President Xi Jinping extended congratulations Thursday on the opening of the seventh ministerial meeting of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum, vowing to make joint efforts with Arab states to carve out a better future for bilateral strategic cooperative relationship.

In his congratulatory message, Xi said Arab states are actively responding to the proposal he made during the sixth ministerial meeting of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum in 2014 for jointly building the "Belt and Road Initiative" between China and Arab countries.

He was deeply impressed by the Arab states' passion for preparing the initiative during his visit to the headquarters of the Arab League in January, said Xi.

At the ministerial meeting, an in-depth discussion will be held on the important topic "the joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative and the deepening of China-Arab strategic cooperation" and there will be comprehensive planning for the major fields and cooperative programs of the China-Arab collective cooperation in the next two years, said Xi.

These, said Xi, are very important to promote mutually beneficial cooperation, deepen people-to-people exchanges and enhance the mechanism of the forum.

He further noted that China stands ready to work with Arab states to steadily promote the building of the initiative based on the principle of close consultation, joint contribution and shared benefit.

The initiative, which is comprised of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, was brought up by Xi in 2013, with the aim of building a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along the ancient Silk Road routes.

The ministerial meetings of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum are held every two years.