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China warmly welcomes HH The Amir and calls for harmony between Gulf nations

China warmly welcomes HH The Amir and calls for harmony between Gulf nations
Feb 1, 2019

HH The Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, who completed a two-day working visit to China, was warmly welcomed by Chinese leaders.

Chinese President Xi Jinping welcomed HH The Amir and called for the Gulf nations to return to ‘unity and harmony,’ reported Reuters news agency.

While China has mostly stayed out of the dispute, calling for the problem to be resolved via talks, it has played host to senior Qatari officials since the spat began, including in December to the foreign minister.

Meeting in Beijing’s Great Hall of the People, Xi told Sheikh Tamim that regional cooperation was an essential basis for prosperity in the Gulf region.

Xi said China supports the efforts of the Gulf Cooperation Council — which includes both Saudi Arabia and Qatar — to seek an ‘appropriate resolution to disputes and contradictions via political and diplomatic means, to return unity and harmony between Gulf and Arab countries.’

“China is willing to continue to play a constructive role according to the wishes of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries,” Xi added.

In remarks in front of reporters, Xi called Sheikh Tamim ‘an old friend and a good friend.’ Sheikh Tamim told Xi that he was pleased with their personal friendship.

“We’re ready to have bigger investments in China, in infrastructure or in any other field we see as important for us. We’re happy to provide China with liquid gas, and we’re ready to provide China with more shortly. I’m thrilled to be in China.”

The two countries also signed several Memorandums of Understanding (MoU), giving a fresh impetus to bilateral relations.

One of the MoUs agrees to establish a strategic dialogue mechanism between the governments, aimed at planning and co-ordinating bilateral relations and augmenting co-operation in important strategic projects and all fields, reported Gulf Times.

A second MoU was on co-operation in the field of training diplomats while a third was on drafting the Qatari-Chinese implementation plan of the Belt and Road Initiative.

There was also a MoU on co-operation between Qatar Free Zones Authority and the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade. The two sides also signed a MoU on promoting co-operation in creating business events.

An agreement on promoting co-operation in the infrastructure sector between the governments of Qatar and China was also signed.

Sheikh Tamim spoke highly of the performance of Chinese enterprises in Qatar, and welcomed Chinese companies’ investment in the Gulf nation, reported Xinhua.

Sheikh Tamim and his accompanying delegation were seen off at the Beijing International Airport by the Chinese Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for the Middle East Chen Xiaodong, Qatar's ambassador to China Dr Sultan bin Salmeen Al Mansouri and Chinese ambassador to Qatar Li Chen.

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