FM Wang's Middle East visit marks high importance of region

State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi's upcoming visit to the Middle East shows the high importance the Chinese side attaches to developing relations and deepening mutual-beneficial cooperation with the region, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said.

Hua made the remarks as Wang is about to kick off a six-nation tour, which will bring him to Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Oman, starting Wednesday.

During the week-long tour, Wang will conduct in-depth strategic communications with his counterparts and promote the delivery of the important consensus reached by President Xi Jinping and leaders of those countries, according to Hua.

She said as the Middle East is plagued by the ramping up of the virus and continuing turbulence, the countries in the region are looking forward to deepening cooperation with China in fighting against COVID-19, developing the economy and exchanging experiences in governance.

It is also their shared aspiration to see China play a bigger role in regional affairs.

Hua said China would advance the joint building of a high-quality Belt and Road Initiative and seek mutual beneficial and win-win cooperation by aligning building the new development paradigm with major development strategies of regional countries.

At the same time, Wang would exchange views with his counterparts on regional issues, hotspot issues in particular, in a bid to contribute China's wisdom for peace in the Middle East, the spokeswoman added.