KUWAIT CITY, July 9, (KUNA): Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Dr Ahmad Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Sabah affirmed on Monday the State of Kuwait determination to expand cooperation with China as one of its key commercial partners.

The minister made the statement as he chaired the State of Kuwait delegation partaking in the 9th ministerial session of the Arab-Chinese Cooperation Forum, visually held recently.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that the forum addressed the distinctive strategic bonds between Arab States and China, means of developing the forum, noting that the participants in the gathering discussed proposals regarding latest regional and international issues of common concern, namely those related to combating the novel coronavirus.

The ministry said the foreign minister addressed the conferees with greetings to eminent participants, namely Jordanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Ayman Al-Safadi, the Chinese state advisor and foreign minister, Wang Yi, and Arab League Secretary General Ahmad Abul Gheit.

He expressed gratitude to Jordan for hosting the forum and praised Beijing for its keenness on organizing it regularly, despite current extraordinary circumstances worldwide. He also expressed identical sentiments to the Arab League for co-organizing the event.

Sheikh Dr Ahmad Nasser stated that the meeting was held in shadow of the special circumstances that have jolted the world due to spread of the coronavirus which has led to unprecedented social and economic repercussions, posing a real threat to States’ security and stability. One of the key lessons that can be derived from this pandemic experience is that no State, regardless how abundant its resources and capacities may be, can face it solely and that global cooperation is the option to face and contain the outbreak. In this vein, he pointed out, His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah had ordered allotting USD 100 million for this purpose, adding that part of the allocation was dedicated for Arab States to face the pandemic, in addition to supporting the World Health Organization and research centers throughout the world to speed up search for a vaccine.

He lauded the regular holding of this forum, founded in 2004, noting that commercial exchanges between Arab countries and China reached USD 266 billion in 2019, growing by nine percent per year.

The State of Kuwait welcomes Saudi Arabia’s planned hosting of the first Arab-Chinese summit, a step that would further bolster the strategic partnership between the Arabs and the Chinese.

Citing a tangible example of Kuwait’s keenness on boosting the bonds with China, the foreign minister noted the Kuwait-Chinese summit, held in Beijing in 2018.

He has affirmed that China is one of the major trade partners with Kuwait with the trade volume estimated at USD 18.7 billion. Moreover, he has pointed out, that the Chinese-inspired “silk road initiative” constitutes a promising opportunity for both with respect of implementing Kuwait Vision 2035.

He affirmed the determination to continue to develop cooperation through economic, commercial, technical mechanisms as well as bilateral treaties, affirming the Arabs’ policy of non-intervention in the Chinese domestic affairs.

The Kuwaiti foreign affairs ministry noted in its statement that an official statement was issued in the end of the meeting – including the topics that were discussed and a pledge for solidarity for fighting the novel coronavirus.

The Kuwaiti delegation at the meeting included the Assistant Foreign Minister for Asian Affairs Ali Al-Saeed, the Assistant Foreign Minister for the Arab World Affairs Ambassador Fahad Al- Awadhi, the Assistant Foreign Minister for the Minister’s Bureau Affairs Ambassador Saleh Al-Loughani, the State of Kuwait Permanent Envoy at the Arab League Ahmad Al-Bakr and other senior officials of the Kuwaiti Ministry of Foreign Affairs.