Foreign and Military Affairs

China, Gulf Cooperation Council seek stronger ties

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-06-04 19:37

BEIJING - China and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) on Friday pledged to strengthen strategic coordination and expand cooperation.

The pledge came out of the meeting between Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping and leaders of GCC member countries, who came to Beijing for the first China-GCC Strategic Dialogue on Friday.

These leaders included GCC president, Kuwait Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammad Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah and the Council's Secretary General, Abdul-Rahman al-Attiyah.

Xi congratulated them on the successful inaugural strategic dialogue and highlighted the important role of the GCC.

Established in 1981, the GCC is a political and economic union involving Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

As the profoundly changing international situation posed a common task of seeking peace and development to China and the GCC, they faced important challenges on which to work more closely, Xi said.

China would like to work with the GCC through the strategic dialogue to strengthen strategic coordination, expand areas of cooperation and seek all-round and in-depth cooperation, Xi said.

Leaders of the GCC underscored their countries' commitment to working more closely with China in trade and economy, energy, investment and other fields.

Earlier Friday, Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi held half-day talks with GCC leaders before signing a memorandum of understanding on the dialogue.