Chinese Ambassador praises strong Kuwaiti-Chinese ties
KUWAIT: Chinese Ambassador to Kuwait Li Minggang stressed the deep-rooted Kuwaiti-China relationship thanks to the leaderships of the two countries. Minggang made his remarks in his speech at a symposium held yesterday on the ways to enhance Kuwaiti-Chinese relations, adding that Kuwait was the first Arab country to respond to the Belt and Road Initiative, and signed the relevant cooperation document. He added that this Kuwaiti-Chinese cooperation comes in line with Kuwait’s vision 2035 put forward by His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad AlJaber Al-Sabah.
More than 160 countries and international organizations, including Kuwait, have signed nearly 200 cooperation documents to build the Belt and Road with China, he said. He said that the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative focuses on investment in infrastructure, education, building materials, railways and highways, as well as cars, real estate, energy grid, iron and steel. He pointed out that it was the Kuwaiti people who left with deeper impressions of their diligence, wisdom, dignity and friendship. “As an ambassador of China in Kuwait, I feel that my mission is honorable and my responsibility is heavy. I always work to strengthen the link between China and friends from various fields in Kuwaiti society,” he added.
On Chinese-Kuwaiti cooperation, the Chinese diplomat said that the past year witnessed a development of practical cooperation between the two counties in various fields, as the total value of ChineseKuwaiti bilateral trade from January to September reached USD 12.7 billion, making Kuwait the fifth largest trading partner of China among the Arab countries. He added that China imported 16.35 million tons of crude oil from Kuwait, which made Kuwait the fourth largest crude oil exporter to China among the Arab countries. The Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) plans to increase the amount of crude oil exported to China to 600,000 barrels per day in 2020, he noted.
Moreover, Chinese companies have actively participated in energy, housing, infrastructure and other fields in Kuwait, the Chinese ambassador said, pointing to the Kuwait Central Bank headquarters project, Kuwait University (KU) new campus in Al-Shadadiya area and Al-Zour refinery projects. In addition, Kuwait actively invested in China and the Kuwait Investment Authority became the first foreign body to invest in high-speed railways in China. He pointed out that cooperation took place between China and Kuwait at various levels, as the Kuwaiti News Agency (KUNA) opened its first office in China and Kuwait opened its third consulate in China in Shanghai while it is expected that China will open the first Chinese cultural center in Kuwait.
Meanwhile, KUNA Deputy Director-General for the Editorial Sector Saad Al-Ali affirmed that the KuwaitiChinese relations certainly witnessed a significant improvement in the political, commercial and economic fields, reaching all levels, including the media, through the exchange of visits. He pointed out that KUNA recently opened an office in china, which will contribute to strengthening relations between the two countries. China has also recently signed a series of cooperation agreements, not only with Kuwait but also with a number of neighboring countries, Ali said, adding that this confirms China’s interest in the Arab world at all levels. He noted that the Chinese media presence in the Arab world is less than the level that we hope will be required, so the presence of the Arab media has become important in China to convey the Arabic civilization and culture. There are steps that have been taken in terms of exchanging experiences and visits at cultural and media levels, Ali confirmed. He expressed his hope that the Chinese ambassador in Kuwait will play a vital role and contribute to a greater understanding of the Chinese culture. —KUNA