KUWAIT CITY, Sept 18: Minister of Commerce and Industry and Minister of State for Youth Affairs Mohammed Al-Aiban affirmed that the State of Kuwait is the first Gulf country to sign agreements with China since the 1950s. In a press statement issued on the sidelines of his presence at the Chinese National Day ceremony with Sheikh Ahmed Al-Abdullah, the Head of the Diwan of His Highness the Crown Prince, and Fahad Al-Jarallah, the Minister of Finance, Al-Aiban said, “This ceremony is considered a prelude to what is to come, as we await the visit of His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad to China during the current week.

There will be many important agreements that will reflect the extent of Chinese-Kuwaiti cooperation in the future in the fields of infrastructure, industries, financial and population cities. Many agreements will be signed with the Chinese side at the highest level, as the Minister of Electricity, the Minister of Justice, and the Minister of Housing Affairs will be present, accompanied by His Highness the Crown Prince, on the next visit. We are looking forward to China investing in us at the level of infrastructure, energy generators, or local Kuwaiti industries.”

He stressed that the Chinese President is considered a personal friend of His Highness the Crown Prince and the State of Kuwait, as he personally invited His Highness the Crown Prince to attend the opening ceremony of the Asian Games, which expresses the depth of Kuwaiti-Chinese relations. Meanwhile, the Chinese Ambassador to Kuwait Zhang Jianwei stressed that the Chinese people, over the past 74 years under the strong leadership of the Chinese Communist Party, have succeeded in paving the way to socialism with Chinese characteristics, and have begun their new journey towards building a strong modern socialist country in a comprehensive manner.

He stressed that China has been and will remain a loyal friend and reliable partner of Kuwait, adding, “Thanks to the high patronage and wise guidance of Chinese President Xi Jinping, His Highness the Amir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad and His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad, bilateral relations have achieved continuous progress.” The ambassador revealed that President Xi Jinping and His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad reached important and wide-ranging agreements during their meeting at the end of last year on the sidelines of the China-Arab Summit and the first China-Gulf Summit in Riyadh. He indicated that the volume of bilateral trade exceeded USD 31 billion 480 million last year, adding that Chinese companies participated in more than 80 major projects for Kuwait. By Fares Al-Abdan Al-Seyassah Staff