Visiting Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang and Kuwaiti Prime Minister Sheikh
Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah agreed to expand economic and energy
cooperation between the two countries during their meeting yesterday.
"China and Kuwait should form a lasting, stable and comprehensive partnership
concerning the energy area," Li told the Kuwaiti prime minister, according to a
press release from the Chinese Foreign Ministry.
Li said the two sides should deepen cooperation in the energy industries and
study ways of joint exploration of both upstream and downstream industries.
He called on both sides to expand cooperation on infrastructure and
telecommunication, increase contacts of people, and promote exchanges in the
areas of finance, agriculture, science and technology and culture, in a bid to
jointly respond to the change of global economic environment.
Li also said China always sees its relations from a strategic perspective
with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and its six members, including Saudi
Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait.
China is willing to further high level visits, enhance political mutual
trust, broaden substantial cooperation and promote peace and stability in the
Gulf region, Li said.
Nasser said Kuwait and China have witnessed a strong growth of bilateral
trade volume this year, and taken a big step in energy cooperation.
Citing the current global financial crisis, he pledged that Kuwait is ready
to further enhance cooperation with China in various fields, adding that Kuwait
welcomes Chinese products and enterprises to enter the Kuwaiti market to realize
common development.
The Chinese vice premier also visited oil facilities in Kuwait and met with
major figures of the oil industry to get a better knowledge of the Gulf Arab
state's oil industry and the progress of China-Kuwait energy cooperation.
China and Kuwait renewed their record of bilateral trade volume in 2007 with
US$3.6 billion, according to official statistics, a 30-percent growth compared
with that of 2006.
China imported US$2.3 billion worth of goods from Kuwait in 2007, with 90
percent of oil products, while only exporting 1.3billion dollars of goods to
Kuwait.
Li and Nasser also hailed the sound state-to-state relations between China
and Kuwait.
Li said relations between China and Kuwait, the first Gulf state to establish
diplomatic ties with China, feature "deep friendship between the two peoples,
all-along mutual political trust and equal respect."
Expressing his appreciation of Kuwait's support in the issues concerning
China's major interests, he said China supports Kuwait's independence,
sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Nasser acknowledged that China was also the first big power to recognize the
independence of Kuwait.
Nasser said the Kuwaiti people have been always cherishing a friendly
affection towards the Chinese people, and will never forget the firm support and
help from the Chinese people.
Kuwait is the final leg of Li's 11-day overseas visit, his first foreign
visit since he took office as vice premier in March, which has also taken him to
Indonesia and Egypt.