China ready to strengthen ties with Iraq: Chinese FM

BEIJING: China is ready to consolidate traditional friendship and deepen political mutual trust with Iraq, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said.
In a phone conversation with Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein, Wang said that after the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, China was the first to send a team of anti-epidemic experts to Iraq, provided Iraq with multiple batches of anti-epidemic supplies, and assisted Iraq in building a nucleic acid testing laboratory.
Noting that a new batch of COVID-19 vaccines has been dispatched to Iraq recently as the emergency aid, Wang said that China stands ready to continue to offer support to help Iraqi brothers tide over difficulties at an early date and achieve victory in the fight against the coronavirus.
Wang thanked the Iraqi side for understanding and supporting China’s position on China’s internal affairs related to Xinjiang and Hong Kong, adding that supporting China means upholding non-interference in other countries’ internal affairs, which is one purpose and principle of the UN Charter, as well as supporting the common interests of developing countries.
China is ready to strengthen coordination and cooperation with Iraq to truly promote the healthy development of the international human rights cause, Wang said.
Whether during the most severe security situation in Iraq or after the epidemic broke out last year, Chinese companies have always stayed in Iraq, providing necessary guarantee for the national economy, people’s livelihood and economic operation of Iraq, Wang said, adding that it has fully demonstrated China’s firm support to Iraq and the great importance it attaches to bilateral relations. – Agencies