Review of the 2011-2015 China Arab Sports and Cultural Exchange

From 2011 to 2015, athletes from China and Arab countries participated in professional and commercial sports events at various levels and fields, and the two sides had friendly exchanges during the competition. The sports industries of both sides have achieved good development under the promotion of a series of sports industry expos and trade fairs. The high-level visits and exchanges between the sports departments of both sides have led to the signing of a series of cooperation agreements and memorandums, and the issuance of a joint statement aimed at deepening sports and cultural exchanges. China has also dispatched coaches, sports doctors, translators and other aid personnel to Arab countries, and provided assistance in the construction of sports facilities and venues to Arab countries' sports, helping the development of sports in Arab countries and deepening the achievements of sports and cultural exchanges between the two sides.

（1） Review of past communication

From 2011 to 2015, the main scope of sports and cultural exchanges between China and Arab countries included exchanges between professional and commercial events at all levels and in various fields, exchanges between national leaders and sports officials during mutual visits, meetings, and talks, exchanges in the trade of sports industries between the two sides, and exchanges in China's assistance to the sports industry of Arab countries.

1. Event communication

The exchange of sports events between China and Arab countries from 2011 to 2015 was diverse in form and extensive in content, with a total of 5 representative events held in a concentrated manner, as shown in Table 1.

表1 中国与阿拉伯国家2011～2015年体育赛事交流情况

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Table 1: Exchange of Sports Events between China and Arab Countries from 2011 to 2015

2. High level visits and meetings

From 2011 to 2015, high-level sports visits and meetings between China and Arab countries reached more than 6 times a year, and the two sides had practical and effective exchanges under the framework of joint conference mechanisms at all levels and cooperation memorandums of understanding. China will fulfill its commitments after the meeting and help multiple Arab countries develop their sports industry.

表2 中国与阿拉伯国家2011～2015年体育高层互访与会见情况

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Table 2: High level Sports Visits and Meetings between China and Arab Countries from 2011 to 2015

3. Sports industry exchange

The annual output value of sports equipment in Arab countries is about 5 billion US dollars, of which the output value of sports equipment in the Middle East is about 4 billion US dollars, with imports reaching 3.5 billion US dollars and market demand of about 15 billion US dollars, with an annual growth rate of about 10%. The sports market in Arab countries is one of the main channels for China's sports equipment market to expand overseas.

From 2011 to 2015, the sports industry exchanges between China and Arab countries involved sports equipment expos and sports resource trade fairs of different levels and themes. The exchanges conducted in China are mainly hosted in Beijing, Guangdong, Chengdu, and Wuhan, while those conducted in Arab countries are mainly concentrated in Dubai.

表3 中国与阿拉伯国家2011～2015年体育产业交流情况

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Table 3: Sports Industry Exchange between China and Arab Countries from 2011 to 2015

4. China's assistance to Arab countries in sports situation

It has become a tradition for table tennis players from Arab countries to participate in international level competition training in China. This tradition began in 2007 when the Yemeni team went to Beijing for pre match training for the 11th Arab Cup Table Tennis Tournament. At that time, the head coach of the Yemeni table tennis team, Sawori, praised China as the "world's top table tennis power" before the competition. The overseas training of the Yemeni national table tennis team in Beijing will definitely benefit greatly. After the training, the Yemeni table tennis team won gold medals in the men's singles under the age of 18 and under the age of 12, ranking second on the gold medal table. The daily training and matches of the two gold medalists are guided by table tennis coaches from Yemen, who are assisted by the General Administration of Sport of China. In 2008, the Yemeni table tennis team once again went to Guangzhou, China for training.

On the basis of China's excellent assistance to Arab countries in table tennis, from 2011 to 2015, the General Administration of Sport of China sent coaches, sports doctors, and other personnel to assist in the construction and development of sports in multiple Arab countries, forming a good situation of dedicated teaching, broadcasting friendship, serving diplomacy, and promoting friendship. For example, in 2011, in preparation for the Gulf Games, the Saudi Arabian national table tennis team went to China for a one month pre match training.

The above reflects that China's assistance to the sports industry in Arab countries has effectively improved the sports competition level of the assisted countries.

(1) Main aid countries

Among the countries that China has assisted in the development of sports, according to geographical distance, the West Asian region includes Iraq, Kuwait, and Qatar, while the North African region includes Egypt and Algeria. The distribution of sports aid to Arab countries from 2011 to 2015 is shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1 Distribution of sports aid provided by China to Arab countries from 2011 to 2015

(2) Main aid projects

China's assistance to Arab countries in sports projects mainly includes 7 Olympic events and 1 non Olympic event. The Olympic events include shooting, kayaking, diving, table tennis, weightlifting, judo, and swimming, while the non Olympic events are Chinese martial arts.

(3) Main assistance content

表4 中国2011～2015年援助阿拉伯国家体育具体情况

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Table 4 Specific Situation of China's Sports Assistance to Arab Countries from 2011 to 2015

（2） Inspiration from past communication

From 2011 to 2015, there were numerous sports and cultural exchanges between China and Arab countries, including professional, professional, and commercial events of various levels and fields. However, effective communication is generally focused on events and projects with high project popularization, high hardware environment requirements, and large market scale.

From 2011 to 2015, high-level visits and meetings between the sports communities of China and Arab countries were held multiple times, and various cooperation intentions were reached, including signing sports cooperation agreements of various levels and types, memorandums of understanding on sports cooperation, and sports assistance agreements. These meetings and mutual visits have been highly effective, and have promoted sports and cultural exchanges between China and Arab countries through further cooperation and exchanges, thereby playing a positive role in promoting people to people exchanges between the Chinese and Arab peoples.

From 2011 to 2015, from the perspective of sports industry exchanges between China and Arab countries, with fierce competition and saturated demand in the European and American markets, Chinese export enterprises gradually shifted their focus to the Middle East market. Dubai, as the economic, financial, transportation and shipping center of the Middle East and North Africa region, can radiate a large amount of goods and funds to more than 10 surrounding countries. The sports equipment market in Arab countries continues to expand in size, with a large demand in the industry market. The potential for numerous business opportunities has attracted a large amount of capital and goods from global merchants. Exploring the sports equipment market in the Middle East and North Africa is an effective way to promote and deepen exchanges in the sports industry and even sports culture between China and Arab countries.

From 2011 to 2015, the characteristics of China's aid to Arab countries in sports were that there were many Asian countries, especially those in West Asia. In addition, while assisting with equipment and venue construction, we will gradually increase technical assistance for Olympic projects, and deploy coaches, sports doctors, and translators for China's advantageous projects. Sports assistance, as an important means of effective communication, is gradually diversifying in form. China's assistance to the sports industry in Arab countries not only breaks through the limitations of physical aid, but also achieves deep level exchanges in sports culture between China and Arab countries through multi-channel assistance in competitive technology, coaches, and other aspects.

Basic attitudes of China and Arab countries towards bilateral sports and cultural exchanges

Since the opening of diplomatic relations between China and Arab countries, both sides have continuously strengthened political mutual trust, deepened practical cooperation, and established a significant cultural exchange foundation. China has always attached great importance to the development of relations with Arab countries, persistently working together with Arab countries to consolidate and expand the achievements of cultural exchanges, and jointly writing a new chapter of friendship and cooperation between China and Arab countries.

（1） Joint Statement by Both Parties

President Xi Jinping pointed out that "both China and Egypt are ancient civilizations, and it is necessary to strengthen cultural exchanges, deepen people to people friendship, consolidate the public opinion foundation of cooperation between the two countries, and promote common development and prosperity of both sides." Egyptian Minister of Culture Hilmi and Chinese Minister of Culture Luo Shugang respectively delivered speeches. After the event, China made a commitment: China will hold various cultural exchange activities in 2016, including more than 60 youth sports events, which will definitely bring a Chinese cultural feast to the Egyptian people.

Based on the common desire of the two countries to further deepen cooperation in various fields, both sides have decided to elevate the bilateral relationship between the People's Republic of China and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to a comprehensive strategic partnership. Under this framework, China and Saudi Arabia jointly proposed to work towards developing cooperation in 10 areas, with the fifth being the "humanities field". The two sides said in the joint communique that they would jointly "strengthen cooperation in youth, sports and vocational and technical fields between the two countries, and enhance communication and friendship between friendly two countries and peoples".

On March 13-16, 2014, at the invitation of Vice President of the People's Republic of China Li Yuanchao, Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister, and Defense Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, officially visited China.

In 2012, at the invitation of King and Prime Minister Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the then Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China, Wen Jiabao, paid an official visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from January 14 to 16. In order to enhance the friendship between the two peoples, deepen China Saudi Arabia relations and promote cooperation between the two countries in various fields, the two sides reached agreement on 10 items, the fifth of which is: "support cooperation in youth, sports and technical education, so as to further strengthen mutual understanding and friendship between the two countries and peoples."

（2） Arab leaders make public speeches

Mohammed Sheikh, Deputy Minister of Economy of the United Arab Emirates, stated in an interview with First Horse Racing Network and Sina Sports after the third Chengdu Dubai International Cup equestrian competition in 2016 that the event has been successfully held for three times. He particularly praised the "First Economic Forum" held in conjunction with the event in 2016 as an "exploratory" economic conference, which "allowed the UAE to understand the ideas of Chinese enterprises and China's economic layout. We believe that next year's equestrian competition will also bring the" Second Economic Forum ". We can bring more economic cooperation projects that are suitable for China's development and meet the needs of Chinese enterprises.

Overall, the attitudes of Chinese and Arab governments towards sports and cultural exchanges between the two sides are positive, affirming, supporting, and encouraging.

New Characteristics of Sports and Cultural Exchange between China and Arab Countries in 2016

In 2013, China put forward a major initiative of the "the Belt and Road", emphasizing strengthening China Arab cooperation from five aspects, including "people to people connectivity". And sports cultural exchange is one of the important means to achieve "people to people connectivity" between China and the Arab countries along the "the Belt and Road". Therefore, constantly strengthening sports cultural exchanges, promoting comprehensive cultural exchanges driven by sports, building a bridge of friendship, and further consolidating the public opinion and social foundation of cultural exchanges between China and Arab countries are important ways to boost practical cooperation and deepen exchanges between China and the Arab countries along the "the Belt and Road", as well as 22 Arab countries around the world.

Sports culture has rich connotations. In the Chinese sports culture under the "national system", sports carry more nationalist connotations. But its significance is not to narrow down an athlete, event, or sports team to "bring glory to the country" or magnify the meaning of "national honor first". Sports and cultural exchanges place greater emphasis on "people-oriented" approach, which aims to enhance mutual understanding between China and Arab countries under different political, linguistic, and religious backgrounds through the conduct of competitive sports competitions, the input and output of competitive techniques, the sharing and exchange of competitive experiences, and the promotion and application of sports sponsorship strategies. China and Arab countries have different national conditions, levels of sports development, and cultural values. Deep and extensive sports exchanges can promote mutual trust and exchange between China and Arab countries, improve the quality of exchanges on the basis of seeking common ground while reserving differences, and deepen the achievements of exchanges.

The fundamental purpose of sports and cultural exchanges between China and Arab countries is for athletes from diverse ethnic, national, religious, and racial backgrounds to have a sense of identification with the spirit of hard work and fair competition; The two countries can overcome cultural differences and engage in pragmatic and effective communication and exchanges; Through high-quality and high-level sports sponsorship, cross national borders, promote sports products, drive the industry chain, promote the consumption of sports products, and make the sports industry develop faster and better.

From 2011 to 2015, sports and cultural exchanges between China and Arab countries mainly focused on four aspects: sports events, high-level visits in the sports industry, sports industry, and China's assistance to Arab countries in sports construction. Since 2016, China has established a comprehensive strategic partnership with Arab countries. With the establishment of new relationships, sports and cultural exchanges between China and Arab countries have gradually shifted from friendly exchanges to strategic cooperation exchanges, presenting a new trend of communication.

（1） The quality of communication for advantageous projects has significantly improved

In 2016, the sports and cultural exchanges between China and Arab countries were influenced by various factors, resulting in a decrease in the number of events. However, the exchange of sports experience and the sharing of competitive skills improved, which to some extent expanded the channels for the dissemination of Chinese sports culture to the outside world, formed and promoted regular and pragmatic exchanges, and thus improved the quality of sports and cultural exchanges. Under the promotion of communication, the training and competitive level of sports events in multiple Arab countries have improved, and the competition results of these events have also been enhanced.

1. Analysis of the reasons for the overall reduction in the number of events

In 2016, there was a decreasing trend in the number of sports and cultural exchanges between China and Arab countries. This is due to both limited communication platforms in China and inevitable objective factors such as turbulent communication environments.

① Limited communication platform

Many sports and cultural exchange activities between China and Arab countries are carried out simultaneously through the platform of economic and trade exchanges. However, in 2016, the China Arab States Economic and Trade Forum was not held (held the following year). As a result, various invitation tournaments such as football, basketball, and bridge that have been held with previous forums have not been held, which has to some extent reduced the overall number of events.

② Turbulent communication environment

Although 2016 is an important historical milestone for the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Arab countries, it is a historical opportunity to deepen exchanges. However, a coup d 'é tat occurred in Egypt, and the government was busy dealing with internal turmoil, which constrained government resources and inevitably led to a decrease in attention and support for sports and cultural exchanges. In addition, Syria is embroiled in a civil war that is sweeping across the country and affecting the entire Middle East region, while Iraq is also busy with time-consuming and laborious military operations such as "recapturing Mosul" and is in the midst of war. In 2016, during the month of Ramadan alone, the international terrorist organization "Islamic State" was suspected of planning and supporting violent attacks several times, spread across four continents including Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Americas, causing over 300 deaths in more than ten countries including the United States, Jordan, Libya, Lebanon, Yemen, and Saudi Arabia. The war and chaotic political situation consume a large amount of human and material resources from the government. The turbulence in the communication environment has forced Arab countries to miss out on some of their sporting exchanges with China, thus also missing out on many great opportunities for deepening exchanges and refining cooperation. Therefore, without the guarantee of a peaceful exchange environment, sports and cultural exchanges between China and the aforementioned countries will not be able to proceed smoothly.

2. The quality of communication for advantageous projects has significantly improved

At present, in Arab countries around the world, especially those with high levels of economic development and relatively stable domestic situations, their advantage in sports projects mainly lies in stable sponsorship and investment, mature training levels, and top-notch event development capabilities in equestrianism. The development of equestrian sports in China is relatively backward, although large, it is not strong, and resources are scattered.

The sport that China has always had an absolute leading level in the world is table tennis. China has outstanding advantages in terms of technological level, coaching level, and competition experience. The development of table tennis in Arab countries lags behind. The low popularity, limited training level and conditions, and lack of professional coaches are all factors that constrain the development of table tennis in Arab countries.

(1) Improvement of equestrian communication quality

China's experience in hosting high-end equestrian events is becoming increasingly mature, from hosting a few three-star events such as the "Wenjiang Dubai Classic" to hosting five-star events such as the "Longines Global Race". In 2016, there was a significant increase in sports and cultural exchange activities between China and Arab countries compared to previous years. Not only that, in 2016, China also introduced the competition system, venue construction, rider and equestrian training techniques of internationally renowned equestrian events from Dubai to help China develop equestrian events. Under the organization of exchange activities, more Chinese equestrian groups have gone to Arab countries to participate in international level equestrian exchange summits or seminars. Chinese coaches, riders, and referees have received high-level professional training, and globally renowned equestrian coaches have also come to China for exchange and interaction. With the help of equestrian organizations in Arab countries, China has also established contacts with top level equestrian alliances abroad. They not only help China host international level events, but also effectively promote the export of high-level competition horses and equipment from abroad to China. China has also temporarily connected with the international standard horse quarantine mechanism during many international level events, completed the quarantine interval transportation of horses after the race, and improved the quality of equestrian communication.

① Introduction of high-level equestrian events to China

The Dubai Horse Racing World Cup, founded in 1996, is a three-star or higher equestrian event of the same level as the Royal Society of London. The entry threshold for this competition is relatively high, and the prize money is relatively generous. The Dubai Horse Racing World Cup is also one of the most expensive races in the world, with a total prize value far exceeding that of F1 races and a global audience of over 1 billion. In April 2016, the 3rd Chengdu Dubai International Cup - Wenjiang Madan Horse Racing Classic kicked off at Wenjiang Golden Horse International Equestrian Sports Park. Chengdu Wenjiang, as the venue for the event, has successfully hosted two editions of this classic competition. The Wenjiang region has also gained certain experience in the development of the equestrian industry and its industrial chain due to hosting classic competitions for three consecutive years, and has built the Wenjiang Equestrian Theme Park, which is the only one in the west and the first-class in Asia, based on this experience. With the hosting of the 3rd Chengdu Dubai International Cup Wenjiang Madan Horse Racing Classic, international and domestic equestrian industry personnel have also been attracted and gathered in Wenjiang with the event. Wenjiang Equestrian Theme Park has held four consecutive "China Equestrian Festival" brand events on this platform, which have attracted high attention from the domestic and foreign equestrian industries. Wenjiang Equestrian Theme Park has also become a landmark venue for equestrian activities in China. Wenjiang is no longer a small place in Rongcheng, but an international stage for the world to understand Chinese equestrianism. It can be said that the Dubai International Cup equestrian competition settled in Chengdu, China, using equestrian events as a bridge to promote equestrian themed sports consumption and investment. The establishment of this event has also promoted Chengdu to enhance its supply capacity for services and consumption related to sports and cultural exchanges between China and Arab countries.

In March 2016, Yun Jianfeng, Chairman of Ningxia Yinshan Horse Club, attended the globally renowned "2016 Dubai Horse Racing World Cup" Golden Grand Prix at the invitation of Sheikh Majid Al Muara, Prince of Dubai. He conducted a series of sports exchange activities with various equestrian sports organizations in the United Arab Emirates, including horse import, quarantine mechanism docking, and event introduction, and signed a series of cooperation agreements. The agreement enables Chinese horses to be directly exported from Ningxia to Dubai in the future, and even participate in high-level, high prize competitions. At the same time, Dubai has also promised to intensify cooperation with Arab countries to introduce equestrian resources with international standards, including competition systems, operational processes, bonuses, and commercial resources, into Ningxia, and promote the hosting of various international high-level events in Ningxia. In the future, in addition to equestrian competitions, Ningxia will also host world-class "Dubai Arabian Horse Beauty Pageant" and "Dubai Summer Equestrian Competition".

Both the People's Government of Sichuan Province and the People's Government of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region actively support and promote the landing of UAE equestrian events in Chengdu and Yinchuan, ensuring the smooth introduction of competition system, operation process, prize money, and commercial sponsorship. The reason for this is that the above-mentioned exchange activities are the foundation for China and the UAE to jointly create brand events with international standards. On this basis, with the smooth holding of the event and the continuous expansion of the brand influence of the event, Chinese riders, horses, and horse owners have also gained high-level experience in international three-star and above level events. At that time, with the permission of technology and experience, Chinese riders, horses, and horse owners can bypass the restrictions of multiple quarantine zones and obtain more competition opportunities as wild cards, even competing at a high level with world-class high-level athletes and sharing high prize money. This will undoubtedly be an efficient way for Arab countries to drive China's equestrian sports and promote the development of China's horse industry and its industrial chain.

② The introduction effect of high-level equestrian events

The effect of introducing the equestrian industry from Dubai is that in 2016, the number of international level equestrian events settled in China almost doubled (see Table 5). The increase in quantity has also brought more acceptance and recognition from the International Equestrian Federation, high-level event sponsors, and even the international equestrian industry for China to host international level equestrian events and even series of events.

(2) The comprehensive export of Chinese table tennis in Arab countries

表5 2011～2016日阿拉伯国家引入中国国际级马术活动情况

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Table 5: Introduction of Chinese International Equestrian Activities by Arab Countries from 2011 to 2016

The International Table Tennis Federation currently has 222 members, making it the second largest sports organization in the world with a large number of enthusiasts. In 2016, the International Table Tennis Federation Museum settled in Shanghai, China, proving the unshakable position of Chinese table tennis in the world. In 2016, China's table tennis international exchanges opened up a new era. In addition to continuing to export table tennis skills and coaches to Arab countries, it also showcased the history of table tennis, the Olympic spirit embodied in table tennis, and the charm of China's table tennis world champions to Arab countries through various platforms for sports and cultural exchanges. Numerous and powerful Chinese table tennis talents have also migrated from China to numerous Arab countries, and it can be said that Chinese table tennis talents are blooming everywhere in Arab countries and even around the world.

① Experience sharing

The spread of Chinese table tennis in the Arab world has a long history. Chinese official and private table tennis institutions, Confucius Institutes in Arab countries, and Chinese cultural centers all have mature communication media.

In April 2016, the "2016 World Sports Culture Exchange Festival (China) Launch Ceremony and Champions' Post Competition Era Summit Forum" was grandly held in Beijing, initiated by the World Champions Federation and jointly organized by the China Enterprise Going Global Development Center and the Beijing Commonwealth Association. Ye Qiaobo, Honorary Chairman of the World Champions Federation, Hussein Ibrahim, Cultural Counsellor of Egypt, and Lang Wei, Secretary General of the Chinese Enterprise Going Global Development Center, all attended the event and delivered speeches. The representatives of table tennis champions shared their insights and experiences on the "post championship era" with the audience present. In April 2016, Liu Wei, the world champion of table tennis at Peking University in China, gave a speech at the Confucius Institute at Cairo University titled "Enjoying Table Tennis Life, Joining the Promise of Health: China's National Table Tennis Promotion and Interactive Meeting", which received a warm response. The next day, she held the second interactive lecture on Chinese national table tennis at the teaching site of the China Egypt Friendship Demonstration School. The Confucius Institute at Cairo University also plans to use this lecture as an opportunity to hold the first table tennis competition of the Confucius Institute at Cairo University in the second half of 2016, in order to deepen Egyptian students' understanding of Chinese national football, cultivate their interest in learning table tennis skills, and promote sports and cultural exchanges between China and Egypt in the Chinese New Year.

② Talent output

Just as the Chinese table tennis team has almost won all the awards in the World Table Tennis Championships, World Cup, Asian Games, and Olympic Games over the years, the export of Chinese table tennis talents to Arab countries is not only the export of specialized technical talents such as coaches and sports doctors, but also directly reflected in the export of high-level participating athletes.

According to Brazil's GlobeSports, China had an absolute advantage in the Olympic table tennis event during the 2016 Rio Olympics. The dominant table tennis team in China has won 51 out of 94 medals in the history of the sport. Moreover, not only is it technological leadership, but the strength of Chinese table tennis also lies in the Chinese athletes representing 20 different countries on the Olympic stage. Among the 70 athletes participating in the men's singles event, there are 23 Chinese athletes, accounting for 33% of the total number of participants; Among the 70 athletes in the women's singles event, there are 35 Chinese athletes. The most typical example is Li Ping, the top seeded male singles player of the Qatar national team, who comes from Tianjin, China.

Therefore, Chinese table tennis has formed a comprehensive exchange situation of technical assistance, experience dissemination, and talent output in Arab countries.

（2） The increasing influence of capital on sports and cultural exchanges

The heat of an industry is the flow of capital and hot money. Wherever money flows, there are hotspots. As a carrier of sports culture trade, the sports industry carries the mission and responsibility of sports culture exchange. Therefore, Chinese and Arab companies that understand investment layout, guided by direct business logic and profit models, quickly enter the sports industry market, rely on professional market driving teams, and complete the guidance of capital on the sports industry.

中阿文化交流发展报告（2017）

The impact of economic and trade exchanges on sports and cultural exchanges

表6 2015年中国球类产品出口流向情况

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Table 6: Export Flow of Chinese Ball Products in 2015

The economic and trade cooperation between China and the United Arab Emirates has a wide range of fields and numerous platforms. Taking the export flow of Chinese ball products in 2015 as an example, the largest export market for Chinese ball products among Arab countries is the United Arab Emirates. In fact, the United Arab Emirates is also the Arab country with the closest sports trade relations with China, and China is also the UAE's largest trading partner. Dubai is the most economically developed city in the United Arab Emirates, as well as China's largest export market, transit trade center, and second largest trading partner in the Middle East. Therefore, the venue for the "Middle East China Sports Goods Industry Expo" in previous years has always been Dubai. Dubai has a high level of economic development, making it easy to build a trading platform. In 2016, China and Arab countries held numerous sports industry exhibitions, as well as a series of high-end forums and business negotiations, which attracted a lot of attention from overseas investment.

The establishment of equestrian competitions at various international levels in China has promoted economic and trade exchanges between China and the United Arab Emirates. The internationalization process of Chinese equestrianism is also affected by this.

China Guangsha Holdings Group, in collaboration with Dubai Medan Group, has signed an agreement with the Chengdu Municipal Government to successfully introduce the "Dubai Horse Racing World Cup" to Wenjiang, Chengdu. This indicates that the development of the horse industry has promoted the economic and trade activities that are complementary to it, and has brought corresponding benefits. In April 2016, during the same period as the third competition, the China Arab Economic, Trade and Cultural Exchange Summit and the China Arab Enterprise Matchmaking Meeting were also held. The China Arab Economic, Trade and Cultural Exchange Summit, with the theme of "Open Cooperation and Common Development", was attended by more than 200 UAE politicians, representatives of the Dubai Chamber of Commerce, some overseas Chinese, and representatives of Chinese enterprises. During the competition, Chengdu Construction Engineering Group signed a Memorandum of Cooperation on Overseas Projects with Dubai Yaode Investment Management Co., Ltd., Chengdu Cultural Tourism Development Group signed a Memorandum of Cooperation on Overseas Promotion with Dubai Medan Group, Chengdu Wenjiang District Government signed a Cooperation Framework Agreement on the Development of Horse Industry and Big Health Industry with Dubai Medan Group and Dubai Yaode Investment Management Co., Ltd., and so on.

In May 2016, the "Ningxia China Arab Enterprise Development Promotion Association" and the "Ningxia China Arab Equestrian Association" were unveiled and established at the same site in Ningxia China Arab Cultural City. Sheikh Ahmed, Chairman and CEO of Emirates Airlines and Group, attended the unveiling ceremony. From the perspective of the establishment purpose of the Ningxia China Arab Enterprise Development Promotion Association, it will help Chinese and Arab entrepreneurs understand bilateral economic development policies, carry out technical and academic exchanges, promote cooperation and project investment between Chinese and Arab enterprises in the future. The China Arab Equestrian Association was also established at the same location. The establishment of the "China Arab Equestrian Association" aims to leverage the platform of the "China Arab Enterprise Development Promotion Association" to introduce event bonuses and commercial sponsorships from the UAE equestrian industry, thereby promoting the landing of UAE equestrian events in Ningxia and introducing competition systems and operational processes.

In other words, whether it is the "Dubai Horse Racing World" Cup in Wenjiang or the "China Arab Equestrian Association" in Yinchuan, both are outputs that promote trade and trade through the mutual influence of sports.

2. Sponsorship strategies for sports brands

Today, with the continuous increase in expenses and costs for hosting competitions and operating sports organizations, sports sponsorship has become one of the main sources of income for sports events and sports organizations. For sponsoring companies, sports sponsorship is an effective method of modern corporate marketing.

Sports sponsorship is an important way for the innovative development of sports culture and trade. Sponsoring well-known events can shape a company's image, promote product sales, and enhance its overall competitiveness. Therefore, contemporary sports events and sports sponsorship are complementary and inseparable.

(1) Sponsorship Strategy of Dubai Brands

Dubai's sponsoring brands have recognized the advantages of Chinese table tennis and have begun to seek cooperation and development with China in the field of table tennis through sponsorship. Taking Emirates Airlines as an example, the sponsorship layout of Dubai brands is very clear: sponsorship targets are limited to one of the four major tennis tournaments, the US Open, the iconic F1 Formula One race in the racing industry, as well as top sports events and teams such as La Liga team Real Madrid, Serie A team AC Milan, and Premier League club Arsenal.

Since January 2013, Dubai's brand has been continuously promoting sponsorship of Chinese table tennis and increasing its efforts year by year. Ahmed Sharif, Secretary General of the Dubai Sports Bureau, said when referring to this sponsorship, "Sports have a special power to break national boundaries. Therefore, with this sponsorship, we have further narrowed the ties between the Chinese people and the people of Dubai, promoted the deep development of bilateral relations, made contributions to the development of table tennis in the Middle East, and launched a civilian movement to encourage more Dubai people to participate in table tennis." He said, "Dubai is a focus city with international attention, where high visibility international sports events are often held". Afterwards, in 2014, the International Table Tennis Federation World Tour Finals were held in Dubai; In 2015, the Table Tennis World Cup settled in Dubai; In 2016, the Asian Table Tennis Cup settled in Dubai. According to Falcon International, which facilitated Dubai's sponsorship of Chinese table tennis, before 2013, almost no one in Dubai loved or participated in table tennis. However, after sponsoring the Chinese national table tennis team in 2013, Dubai gradually promoted the popularity of table tennis. The main parks in Dubai have installed a large number of table tennis tables for free use by citizens. From beginners to professional athletes, from community activities, school competitions to social media, table tennis has begun to spread widely in Dubai and has been effectively popularized. In other words, Dubai's table tennis sponsorship strategy has led to successful sports and cultural exchanges in promoting table tennis in Dubai.

The events sponsored by Dubai brands include high-end sports such as golf, F1, and equestrianism, aiming to retain existing high-end customers and attract more high-end customers. At the same time, they also extensively involve popular and popular events such as English Premier League football and La Liga football, occupying the mid to low-end sports market. At the same time, Dubai's sponsoring brands have firmly integrated capital into the national table tennis market, focusing on the overall strong technical strength, excellent and stable competition results of Chinese table tennis, as well as the large base of Chinese table tennis enthusiasts, high popularity of table tennis both domestically and internationally, and strong brand influence. It can be said that the sponsorship strategy of Dubai brands in China is to focus on the top events of sponsored sports, ensuring high exposure, while also seizing projects with a large number of enthusiasts. Therefore, the sponsorship strategy of Dubai brands is diversified and multidimensional. This is both a successful marketing strategy and a mature sponsorship strategy. If Chinese sports brands can also follow the sponsorship ideas of Dubai brands and actively promote sponsorship, they will inevitably expand their brand exposure, stimulate product sales, and expand their international influence worldwide.

(2) Sponsorship Strategy of Chinese Brands

In terms of the international competitive environment, Chinese brands are relatively passive and do not have a relative advantage. According to UNCTAD's statistics on the global market share of international sports brands, Adidas holds an absolute leading position, followed by Nike, and then New Balance. Due to their long history, strong development foundation, and mature market, their position is theoretically impossible to be shaken on a large scale in the short term. But as Chinese brands continue to "go global", their footprint has also covered four continents around the world.

Starting from 2008, Peak sponsored the Iraqi national team to participate in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, becoming a global partner of the Iraqi Olympic Committee and opening the curtain for cooperation with the Iraqi national team. Subsequently, Peak became the top sponsor of the Iraqi men's football team. In the women's 100m final of the 12th Pan Arab Games in 2011, Iraqi female athlete Dana Hussain, sponsored by Pick Sports, won the gold medal. Pick fully sponsored the Iraqi and Lebanese teams at this Pan Arab Games. The Pan Arab Games is an important selection and training competition for the Olympic Games, and is a high-level and highly significant event. Pick precisely saw the brand promotion effect of such large-scale events and quickly entered the market. The number of delegations signed by Peak at the Pan Arab Games is second only to internationally renowned brands Adidas and Nike, indicating an unprecedented expansion of Peak's territory. It is precisely with the "Pan Arab Games" and other event platforms that Peak has a sponsorship foundation in the Arab world, which enabled it to successfully sponsor and cooperate with Arab countries such as Algeria, Lebanon, and Iraq in 2016. The Egyptian national weightlifting team sponsored by Peak won bronze medals in the men's 77kg and women's 69kg weightlifting events at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

In addition to Peak, 361 ° is also a leading Chinese sports brand that has gone global and gone global. At the 2016 Rio Olympics, the Chinese brand with the largest sponsorship territory was 361 °. 361 ° has replaced Adidas for the first time as the global partner, official supporter, and official supplier of the Olympics, and is the only sports brand from China among all suppliers. At the opening ceremony of this Olympic Games, track and field referee Martino Nobre appeared in a 20 second close-up shot wearing an official referee uniform with a 361 ° logo and a pair of khaki 361 ° pants. Not only that, the Greek delegation, who entered first place, and the South African delegation, who entered third place, also wore jackets with the 361 ° logo, making their international influence famous in World War I. In addition, 361 ° also sponsored professional sports equipment for technical officials, medical personnel, service personnel, torchbearers, and other staff involved in the official and testing events of the Rio Olympics and Paralympics. 361 ° provided a total of over 100000 uniforms for the 2016 Rio Olympics, and exclusively provided ceremonial attire for celebratory personnel, referee uniforms, media aids, and more.

Liu Xiang, the director of the Sports Brand Center of Peak, said, "In the 2008 Beijing Olympics, we only sponsored one delegation from Iraq. By 2012, Peak had sponsored seven Olympic delegations." "This year's Rio Olympics, we sponsored twelve teams, making us the third most sponsored sports brand in the world and the first in China." During the 4-hour live broadcast of the opening ceremony of the Rio Olympics, nine teams wore Peak brand sponsored uniforms and almost appeared on camera throughout the entire event.

Therefore, Chinese sports brands entering the Arab world have a sponsorship map that already covers the competition of national Olympic brands, and are surrounded by internationally renowned foreign brands with advanced product technology, market share, mature brand operations, and exposure to high-end events. But in this competitive market environment, both internally and externally, with the efforts of Chinese sports brand manufacturers and the General Administration of Sport of China to promote and disseminate, Chinese sports brands have also broken through layers of barriers, gradually forming a certain market competitiveness and influence, and increasing day by day. The sponsorship map of Peak truly reflects the sponsorship strategy of Chinese sports brands going abroad, to Arab countries, and to the world. In other words, although Chinese sports brands still need to learn from the successful sponsorship experience of Dubai sports event sponsors, Chinese sports brands have also formed effective sponsorship strategies that are based locally, steadily advancing, entering the Middle East, and radiating globally.

（3） The influence of Chinese martial arts is expanding in Arab countries

Arab athletes stand out in international Chinese martial arts competitions

Chinese martial arts are deeply loved by the people of Arab countries, and Morocco, a North African country, was the first Arab country to participate in the first World Martial Arts Competition held in Xi'an. Afterwards, Hazard (Congo) actively organized the establishment of the African Kung Fu Federation, leading many Arab countries in Africa to form martial arts teams and send them to participate in global martial arts competitions. Chinese martial arts have developed and grown on this basis in Arab countries, laying a preliminary foundation for public practice. In recent years, Arab athletes have won gold and silver medals at the World Wushu Championships and the Asian African Youth Wushu Championships, achieving excellent results (see Table 6).

表6 近三届世界武术锦标赛中阿拉伯国家选手获奖情况

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Table 6: Winners from Arab Countries in the Past Three World Wushu Championships

2. The multi-channel dissemination of Chinese martial arts in Arab countries

The dissemination of Chinese martial arts in the Arab world is carried out through a dual mechanism of official promotion and civilian assistance. The official channels of dissemination are concentrated in Chinese cultural centers and Confucius Institutes established in Arab countries. Folk communication is concentrated in the folk martial arts clubs of Arab countries.

(1) Official communication

At the China Arab States Expo held in September 2015, State Councilor Guo Shengkun mentioned in his keynote speech that "the mechanisms and channels for cultural exchanges between China and Arab countries are becoming increasingly diverse. China has established 11 Confucius Institutes in 9 Arab countries. Confucius Institutes are exchange institutions for spreading Chinese culture. The establishment of martial arts courses in Confucius Institutes not only reflects the diversity of Chinese culture, but also optimizes the curriculum system of Confucius Institutes. There are over 300 Confucius Institutes (Confucius Classrooms) worldwide, with more than 100 offering martial arts courses and conducting martial arts related activities. There are martial arts classes, lectures, and exchange meetings with martial arts as the main content.

China established its first Confucius Institute in an Arab country in 2007 at Saint Joseph's University in Lebanon, a West Asian country. In the framework agreement signed jointly by Shenyang Normal University and Saint Joseph's University in Lebanon, Shenyang Normal University provides training in Chinese medicine, political economy, martial arts, cuisine, calligraphy, and art to Saint Joseph's University. With the continuous development and maturity of educational conditions, martial arts courses have achieved good teaching results at the Confucius Institute in Lebanon. Guided by the experience of collaborating with Saint Joseph's University in Lebanon, Shenyang Normal University subsequently established the Amman TAG Confucius Institute in partnership with TAG Group in Jordan in 2009. At the Amman TAG Confucius Institute, Chinese instructors have offered beginner level martial arts courses such as Five Step Fist, intermediate combat martial arts courses such as Long Fist and Sanda, as well as advanced martial arts courses such as Chinese Knife Art and Chinese Stick Art. Additionally, a special Tai Chi class has been established for martial arts enthusiasts in society. Chinese martial arts have been further promoted in Arab countries.

After years of optimizing the curriculum structure, in 2016, statistics from the Chinese National Martial Arts Association showed that with the support of the Egyptian National Martial Arts Association, the Cairo Chinese Cultural Center has opened martial arts classes, Tai Chi health classes, and routine Sanda classes, each of which is divided into beginner and intermediate to advanced groups. Junior group exercises include basic martial arts such as Junior Three Route Long Fist, Simplified 24 Style Tai Chi, Fitness Qigong Eight Section Brocade, Five Animal Play, Sanda basic skills, and simple martial arts routines. In the intermediate and advanced groups, learn difficult martial arts such as Nanquan, Xingyi Quan, Tongbei Quan, Fanzi, Baguazhang, 56th style Chen style Tai Chi, Tai Chi Fan, Tai Chi Sword, and Sanda combat.

Sherif Mustafa, the president of the Egyptian Martial Arts Association, once introduced that Egypt is currently the country with the best spread and popularization of martial arts among Arab and African countries, with nearly 20000 martial arts practitioners. China has established two Confucius Institutes in Egypt: the Confucius Institute at Cairo University and the Confucius Institute at Suez Canal University. The official dissemination of Chinese martial arts in Egypt mainly relies on Chinese teachers and martial arts volunteers from the Cairo Chinese Cultural Center, two Confucius Institutes in Egypt, and coaches from the Egyptian national martial arts team.

(2) Folk Communication

In Egyptian folk culture, the dissemination of Chinese martial arts is mainly undertaken by folk coaches from major clubs and coaches from other organizations. The martial arts classes at the Confucius Institute at Cairo University mainly offer courses on Changquan and Taijiquan. The main content taught in the Tai Chi class is the simplified 24 style Tai Chi; The main content taught in the Changquan class is the Five Step Fist and the Junior Three Step Fist. However, the carrying capacity of the two courses, Changquan and Taijiquan, is limited and cannot meet the Egyptian people's desire and deep learning needs for Chinese martial arts. Therefore, Egyptian folk martial arts organizations not only offer the same long fist and Tai Chi classes as schools, but also offer traditional Chinese martial arts courses such as Tai Chi, Baguazhang, Xingyi Quan, and Bajiquan.

The most active folk Chinese martial arts club in Egypt, the Ma'adi Club, also offers martial arts classes. The main courses for children around the age of 5 are Bajiquan and Baguazhang, while the youth class for children aged 10-20 offers Bajiquan, Baguazhang, and Sanda courses. Martial arts are an important part of traditional Chinese culture, and learning Chinese martial arts techniques and understanding the spirit of Chinese martial arts can further strengthen cultural cooperation between Egypt and China, "said Amru, the head of the Ma'adi Club

In July 2016, the 27th session of the martial arts training course at the Cairo Chinese Cultural Center was completed. Since the establishment of the martial arts training program at the Cairo Chinese Cultural Center in 2004, the number of participants in the Chinese martial arts training program reached its peak in 2016, with nearly 40 graduates from the Tai Chi training program alone. Previously, the total number of students in the 20th and 21st sessions of the training course was only 65. From this, it can be seen that the dissemination of Chinese martial arts in the Arab world has expanded in scale and influence with the joint efforts of official promotion and civilian assistance.

Analysis of Problems and Countermeasures in 2016 China Arab Sports and Cultural Exchange

Overall, the sports and cultural exchanges between China and Arab countries in 2016 were fruitful and had significant effects. But as communication deepens, some issues also arise.

（1） Question:

1. Unequal development level of sports between China and Arab countries

In terms of sports cultural traditions, China and Arab countries have completely different sports cultural connotations, so their values towards sports culture are also different. Chinese sports culture is more inclined towards national righteousness, which is to bring glory to the country, while not forgetting to be humble and respectful to opponents. China's sports culture is simple and introverted. Arab countries, due to their geographical characteristics, tend to have a strong sense of conquest among their people, preferring sports with intense visuals and intense fighting.

In terms of the development model of sports, China is still a country with a national sports system, and the training and competition of athletes revolve around the main goal of bringing glory to the country with excellent results. All participating athletes are professional athletes, trained by dedicated coaches, and organized, selected, and arranged by the Sports Training Management Center to participate in various levels of competitions. Arab athletes are mostly amateur or semi professional in most sports. The sports industry in Arab countries is different from that in China, with a comprehensive professional athlete service system and a mature systematic talent selection mechanism. Most of the athletes participating in sports in Arab countries undergo short-term training or individual training before the competition, and there are often athletes who rush to compete without prior training or tactical planning.

From the distribution of sports events, China has been involved in 28 major events and 302 minor events, with outstanding advantages and comprehensive development. However, sports events in Arab countries are relatively concentrated, and there are relatively limited events with excellent results in international competitions such as the Olympics and World Championships.

2. The mechanism docking of advantageous projects is incomplete

As mentioned earlier, China and Arab countries have their respective advantages in table tennis and equestrian sports. However, equestrian exchanges between China and Arab countries have been repeatedly hindered, and the road has been full of thorns and obstacles. Similarly, the comprehensive exchange of table tennis has also encountered obstacles in Arab countries that cannot be popularized among women.

(1) Obstacles to the integration of equestrian quarantine mechanisms

Over the years, with the unremitting efforts of Dubai and the International Horse Federation, the number of international level equestrian events settled in China has continued to increase, and has developed from being able to hold only a few three-star events to being able to host a series of five-star events. However, as mainland China is not a "non epidemic area" certified by the International Horse Federation, the equestrian event was held in Hong Kong during the 2008 Beijing Olympics due to this regulation. The International Equestrian Federation prohibits horses participating in international level equestrian events from racing in "epidemic areas", otherwise they must stay at the competition venue and cannot return. Participating horses, especially those in high-level competitions, are expensive, with high maintenance and transportation costs. If mature race horses are unable to participate in the next race after participating in one race, it is a huge loss of manpower, material resources, and time for the horses, horse owners, riders, represented clubs, and represented national teams. In June 2016, Longines China Global Champions League kicked off. The Shanghai Equestrian Sports Management Center began contacting the International Equestrian Federation a year and a half before the competition. The European Commission also conducted a special vote on this matter. Finally, through repeated on-site research and unremitting efforts from all parties in the European Union, a consensus was reached with Shanghai on quarantine requirements for horse quarantine access and return, that is, EU participating horses transported into China should immediately go to the quarantine station for quarantine after entering Shanghai. After the quarantine is completed, the horses are locked in the quarantine area. Until the end of the competition, all participating horses will be transported directly from the quarantine area to the airport and back to EU countries. Although this consensus is extremely strict, it has already opened a big "green light" for the transfer of horses from five-star international equestrian competitions between "epidemic areas" and "non epidemic areas". At the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games, Conghua in Guangzhou was temporarily established as a "non epidemic area" as a venue for equestrian competitions. Compared to five-star events, the Asian Games is an intercontinental competition with a three-star rating. Although this Longines competition is a rare international level five-star high-level event, what's even more rare is that the registration method for this event is open - no standard race is required, as long as there are qualified horses and riders to participate, according to the international horse quarantine mechanism, only horses entering Shanghai from Europe are eligible to become race horses. Due to the short validity period of the horse transport agreement between China and Europe, many excellent Arab riders and horses do not have enough time for cooperative training and cannot participate in this competition.

At the Dubai International Cup equestrian competition held in Wenjiang, Chengdu, there was no participation of Chinese horses and riders. Mohammad Sheikh, a member of the board of directors of the Medan Group, the event's sponsor, believes that this is also a regret. Although Dubai is also actively working hard to strive for the presence of Chinese jockeys in the next race to the best of their ability. Due to the incomplete integration of horse quarantine systems between China and the International Horse Federation, it will take time and unremitting efforts to see Chinese and Arab horse racing compete on the same track at the Dubai International Cup equestrian competition held in China.

Therefore, the international integration with the horse quarantine mechanism, that is, the horse quarantine agreement in accordance with the International Horse Federation standards, is a huge obstacle to China's hosting of high-quality and high-level international equestrian competitions, and it is also the biggest obstacle. The efforts and assistance made by Arab countries towards the development of equestrian in China have also been hindered, and the sports and cultural exchanges between China and Arab countries have been affected by the obstacles in this docking mechanism.

(2) Obstacles to the popularization of table tennis among women in Arab countries

In many Arab countries, even those with higher levels of economic development, the number of women participating in sports, especially professional sports, is extremely limited. At the 2004 Athens Olympics, only a few female athletes from countries such as Kuwait were sent, and throughout the event, they wore long clothes, pants, and even some wore headscarves to participate in the competition. According to the 2012 data from the London Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games, a total of 469 Arab athletes registered to participate in Olympic competitions, including 129 female athletes; There are relatively more female athletes from Arab countries in North Africa, with Egypt sending 35 and Algeria sending 18; The number of female athletes sent by Arab countries in other regions is generally below 10. In 2016, the Egyptian table tennis team coached by a Chinese table tennis coach sent the first female table tennis player to compete in the Olympics at the Rio Olympics, as well as the first female table tennis player from the Arab region to compete in the Olympics. She was the champion of the African Youth Championship, the seventh place winner of the World Youth Championship, and the team runner up of the Hong Kong Youth Open - Saad. Saad also wore traditional Islamic women's scarves and tightly wrapped long clothes and pants to complete all the competitions.

In Arab countries, table tennis, as a representative export sport of China, suffers from a shortage of female athletes, coaches, and sports doctors, making it difficult to connect and cover the vast number of women. In addition, the strict dress code for women has an impact and obstacle on the training level, physical strength, and application of skills and tactics of athletes, resulting in the inability to maximize the competitive performance of female table tennis players in Arab countries. Deeply affected by this, the export of Chinese table tennis resources can only focus on serving the men's team, resulting in underutilization of table tennis skills, coaches, and other resources, which hinders the popularization of table tennis among women in Arab countries. As a result, the effectiveness of sports and cultural exchanges between China and Arab countries has been compromised.

3. The exchange of national fitness urgently needs to be strengthened

According to the "Several Opinions of the State Council on Accelerating the Development of the Sports Industry and Promoting Sports Consumption" issued in 2015, "National Fitness" has risen to the height of national ideology. The "National Fitness Plan (2016-2020)" (hereinafter referred to as the "Plan") issued by the State Council also puts great effort into the national fitness work in the next five years: it coordinates the venue facilities and facilitates mass fitness. With the increasing market share of sports apps such as "Gudong" and "Yueparkuan" that are becoming popular on the land of China (the daily activity of "Gudong" alone has reached over 2 million people, and the cumulative number of registered users has exceeded 24 million), the enthusiasm for national fitness continues to increase, and the market potential for national fitness continues to expand. According to a survey by HIS Electronics and Media, the growth potential of sports and fitness apps is over 63%, and by 2017, the installed capacity of such applications will reach 248 million.

It can be said that China's national fitness industry and development are constantly advancing under the guidance of policies and industry assistance. The increasingly mature national fitness in China has also driven the development of national fitness sports products, but such products have not gone abroad or entered the market of Arab countries.

In December 1981, the Special Committee of the Government Sports Commission of UNESCO proposed the organization of the "World Week of Sport for All" (referred to as Sports Week). According to incomplete statistics, multiple Arab countries such as Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen have regular and ongoing sports weeks and festivals. The United Arab Emirates, the most mature Arab country in the development of national fitness, held a "National Fitness Day" event during its National Day in 2015. On that day, parks, city squares, and other places throughout the United Arab Emirates designated fitness and sports facilities and areas for the public. The public can use various fitness equipment for free, or engage in fitness activities at different levels under the guidance and leadership of professional fitness coaches. However, most Arab countries do not have mature public fitness facilities and organize related activities. For example, Qatar, as an economically developed member of the Gulf Cooperation Council, transformed the Khalifa Stadium into the Aspire football youth training camp worth over 20 billion US dollars in 2003, but only provided youth training for football "powerhouses" and trained young football talents for La Liga and Bundesliga clubs. In other words, Arab countries in the Gulf region have strong financial resources and training venues with large investment scales and high facility levels, but the benefits do not cover the entire population, and effective investment in national fitness has not been formed. Therefore, the advantages of national fitness resources between China and Arab countries have not been efficiently connected, and the exchange of national fitness between the two sides urgently needs to be strengthened.

4. Obstacles of turbulent political situation to sports and cultural exchanges

The culture of Arab countries blends two ethnic groups and three religions. The Arab countries in the Middle East have abundant oil and gas resources, and throughout history, the Middle East has held an important strategic position. However, territorial disputes, water resource conflicts, religious conflicts, and inter religious struggles occur frequently in the Middle East region. The ongoing Israeli Palestinian peace talks have been fraught with twists and turns, with uncertain prospects. The ongoing Syrian civil war and the Egyptian coup have also highlighted various conflicts. Under the already chaotic regional conflicts, the interference of external forces has exacerbated the political turmoil in the Middle East. There is a coup in Egypt, Syria is plunged into civil war, Iraq is also in the midst of gunfire, the conflict in Yemen is spilling over, and at the same time, the international terrorist organization "Islamic State" has carried out large-scale terrorist attacks in more than ten countries including Jordan, Libya, Lebanon, Yemen, and Saudi Arabia. All of these have made Arab governments busy dealing with internal and external troubles, thus consuming a lot of government energy and resources. The government's attention and support for sports and cultural exchanges are bound to decline.

It can be said that the internal and external troubles of Arab countries continue to hinder the further development and in-depth exchange of sports culture between China and Arab countries in a peaceful environment.

5. The communication did not involve all Arab countries

The Arab League has 22 members, among which Egypt was the first to establish diplomatic relations with China; The two countries established diplomatic relations on May 30, 1956, with Saudi Arabia being the last to establish diplomatic relations with China on July 21, 1990. The Arab countries in the Middle East and North Africa have a large Muslim population. The level of economic development is relatively high, and the population is also relatively concentrated. For example, countries like Egypt, Morocco, and the United Arab Emirates have a relatively high level of economic development and mature platforms for sports and cultural exchanges. Compared to the member countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, over 80% of their domestic consumption requires imports. Therefore, the Chinese sports industry, especially the sports manufacturing industry, sees the potential of this region and vigorously expands the Chinese product market in this area. Although there are also Arab countries in sub Saharan Africa, these countries have a large population, generally underdeveloped economy, low popularity of sports, and limited purchasing power for sports products. China has basically not engaged in equivalent and effective sports and cultural exchanges with Arab countries in this region. Therefore, China has not achieved sports and cultural exchanges with all Arab countries.

（2） Countermeasures

Although there have been some problems in sports and cultural exchanges between China and Arab countries, leveraging advantages, enhancing complementarity, improving mechanisms, innovating methods, optimizing structures, avoiding risks, and expanding exchanges are effective ways to solve the above problems.

1. Deepen cooperation on advantageous projects and enhance complementary advantages

The sports positioning, development level, and operational management methods of China and Arab countries are different. The urgent problem that needs to be solved for Chinese sports is how to achieve integration with the sports development strategies of Arab countries and complement their sports advantages. Following the principle of integration and mutual learning, Arab countries also need to further strengthen the foundation of sports exchanges with China and enhance the competitive advantage of Arab countries' advantageous projects.

Although the development of sports between China and Arab countries is not equal, the two sides have different advantageous projects and strong complementarity. On the basis of existing exchanges, China should be able to continue to increase its efforts in sports advantage projects, especially in sports material assistance and sports technology talent output in table tennis. Arab countries should also continue to tirelessly work for China in their advantageous events such as equestrianism, helping China introduce more high-level events, competition systems, track construction, and rider training. They should also increase their assistance in connecting China's obvious shortcomings in horse quarantine mechanisms.

2. Improve the docking mechanism for advantageous projects and innovate the communication methods for advantageous projects

Although China and Arab countries have complementary advantages in projects, the docking mechanism has not been fully established.

(1) China's horse quarantine is fraught with difficulties, and many equestrian clubs, due to limited objective conditions, are unable to achieve international standards for all participating horses to have registered passports and adhere to regular vaccination every six months. Although the Animal and Plant Supervision Department of the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, with the help of the UAE Equestrian Association, has contacted animal quarantine agencies in the European Union and innovatively opened temporary epidemic areas for the Asian Games and Longines, a long-term effective quarantine mechanism that is in line with the quarantine standards of the International Equestrian Federation has not been established, which is also a necessary path for the future development of equestrian in China. On the basis of adhering to the remarkable equestrian exchanges between China and Arab countries, continuously improving the docking of equestrian quarantine mechanisms is necessary to enable Chinese equestrian to gain a place in the world equestrian circle.

(2) Although the popularization of table tennis in Arab countries and the international competition results of table tennis have been well developed with China's corresponding support, the obstacles to the popularization of women in sports in Arab countries have hindered the establishment of excellent players in the world table tennis. Only when the aid coaches dispatched by China train female athletes in accordance with Islamic customs and practices, implement a management model that isolates them from male players, and collaborate with the International Table Tennis Federation to establish a women's table tennis sports area specifically for female table tennis enthusiasts in Arab countries in accordance with Islamic customs, can table tennis be popularized among female groups in Arab countries, and a platform be created to connect major sports brands to design lightweight and easy to use competition clothing that is conducive to the technical and tactical performance of female table tennis athletes in Arab countries, while respecting Islamic customs. Only in this way can table tennis in Arab countries, especially among female groups, be developed, and the comprehensive exchange of sports culture between China and Arab countries will be less hindered.

3. Strengthen communication on national fitness

The exchange of sports culture between China and Arab countries is rich in content and diverse in form, but its structure urgently needs to be optimized, especially in the area of national fitness. In the past, communication was limited to sports product exhibitions and sponsorship of mass sports events, and communication in the field of national fitness remained in a fragmented state, with no exchange of information and no sharing of resources. Both sides lack effective communication on the development direction of the national fitness industry and the investment and consumption direction of the industry, which is highly targeted and has clear guidance.

China has an increasingly perfect sports system and venue operation mechanism, a nearly mature sports brand, a more reasonable sports industry layout, rich sports guidance, and sports fitness facilities everywhere. However, China has a large population, and the contradiction between public fitness facilities and venues that cannot meet the needs of the whole people and the growing needs of the people for fitness is becoming increasingly prominent. Arab countries in the Gulf region have strong capital, high-quality and high priced sports venues, and advanced equipment. However, the popularity of national fitness is relatively low, and the development of the national fitness industry is relatively in its early stages. Therefore, China and Arab countries need to strengthen exchanges in the field of national fitness and optimize the structure of sports and cultural exchanges between China and Arab countries.

If conditions permit, allow some provinces and regions with better economic development levels to organize visits and study in Arab countries. If funding permits, they can also refer to and construct high-level venues with advanced equipment and strong competition resource guarantee to meet the needs of national fitness.

Based on the principle of government led, open and inclusive co construction, if we can open up participation, attract strong capital from Arab countries, and assist in the construction of public sports venues and facilities in China, gradually recover investment through advertising inside and outside the venues, and the naming of events held in the venues, it may be a path worth exploring for cooperation and exchange.

Enable mass fitness wearable products and app development companies to participate in sports product exhibitions and promotions in Arab countries through various platforms such as expos, trade fairs, and trade promotion conferences, with a focus on new national fitness wearable product manufacturers such as sports wristbands. At the same time, emphasizing differentiated product supply and allowing enterprises to develop regional and folk application functions that are not available in European and American products for Arab countries is also an effective way for China and Arab countries to innovate and strengthen exchanges in the field of national fitness.

4. Expand the scope of communication

The Gulf countries have developed economies and frequent trade relations with China, forming a strategic and cooperative economic and trade relationship. In the past, sports and cultural exchanges often closely followed the pace of overseas investment by countries, with a focus on China's investment "big players" in Arab countries such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Iraq, and Egypt. The capital flow between China and Arab countries will inevitably tilt towards sports and cultural exchanges between China and Arab countries. However, the principles of China's foreign policy are mutual respect, sovereign equality, and mutually beneficial cooperation and common development. Therefore, although the economies of Arab countries in sub Saharan Africa are generally underdeveloped, the popularity of sports is low, and the purchasing power of sports products is limited, the Chinese government has already had preliminary exchanges in sports assistance with countries such as Algeria. In the future, China's sports aid will inevitably expand to economically underdeveloped sub Saharan Arab countries. Engaging in sports and cultural exchanges beyond aid forms is also an effective way for China and all Arab countries to jointly develop sports and engage in sports and cultural exchanges.