NEW YORK: Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met here on Monday with foreign ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.
Those who attended the meeting with Wang on the sidelines of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly included Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, foreign minister of Saudi Arabia, which now holds the rotating presidency of the GCC, GCC Secretary-General Nayef bin Falah Al-Hajraf, Minister of State of the United Arab Emirates Khalifa Shaheen Al Marar, Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Ahmad Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Sabah, Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, as well as representatives from Qatar and Oman.
In the meeting, Wang said that with the attention and guidance of the leaders of China and the GCC, the relations between the two sides have been healthy, stable and growing in an all-round manner, and are at the forefront of China’s relations with Arab countries. Noting that China has been the largest trading partner of the GCC for a long time, Wang said last year, trade between China and the GCC increased by 44 percent against the trend, practical cooperation between the two sides in various fields are fruitful, people-to-people exchanges are becoming increasingly close, and China-GCC relations have become a model for cooperation between China and developing countries.
Under the current situation, China and the GCC countries, as good friends, partners and brothers, should continue to help and support each other, Wang said, adding that China is willing to join hands with the GCC to consolidate mutual trust, deepen cooperation and push relations between China and the GCC countries to a new level.
Wang also said that China appreciates the GCC countries for their upholding justice on issues related to Taiwan, Xinjiang, Hong Kong and human rights, as well as their understanding of and support for China’s legitimate demands.
China will continue to firmly support the GCC countries in safeguarding sovereignty, independence, security and stability, support the GCC in promoting integration, and oppose interference in the internal affairs of the GCC countries by anyone, Wang said. –Agencies
