The Second Ministerial Meeting of the Asia-Middle East Dialogue was held in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt from 5th to 6th April 2008. About 50 countries in Asia and the Middle East sent delegations to the meeting. Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Wang Yi delivered a keynote speech titled Strengthening Solidarity and Cooperation and Promotng Lasting Stability and Development.

Wang noted that in the 21st century countries in Asia and the Middle East face both new historic development opportunities and common challenges. They all shoulder the task of seizing the opportunities to properly cope with the challenges and realizing lasting peace and development.

He stressed that first of all stability is a high priority of countries in Asia and the Middle East. They should seek peaceful solutions to disputes and put domestic stability high on their agenda. The international community should do more things beneficial to their stability. Secondly, countries in the two regions should enhance solidarity. They should strengthen collaboration in international affairs, reinforce policy coordination in the international multilateral economic field and actively maintain the interest of developing countries. Thirdly, they should focus on development. They should stick to the development roads suitable to their own needs and be committed to realizing the all-round, coordinated and sustainable development. Fourthly, they should cooperate with each other. Priority should be given to cooperation in such fields as trade, investment, finance, energy and tourism. He also called for active dialogue between civilizations and religions to advance common progress of different civilizations and societies.

Wang said that to develop the friendly cooperation with countries in the Middle East is an important component of China's foreign policy. China will continue to push forward the relations with those countries by tangible actions, improve the dialogue and cooperation mechanisms with them including the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum, play a constructive role to solve the hot issues in the Middle East and make substantive efforts to promote the dynamic growth of bilateral ties as well as peace, stability and prosperity in the Middle East.

Asia-Middle East Dialogue is a cross-regional cooperation mechanism launched in 2005 with the purpose of strengthening the dialogue and cooperation between Asia and the Middle East in the political, economic, security, social and cultural fields. The meeting is held every two years in turn in Asian and Middle East countries.