China ready to advance bilateral ties with Saudi Arabia to new heights: premier

China

China ready to advance bilateral ties with Saudi Arabia to new heights: premier

2024-09-12 19:52 Last Updated At：09-13 15:17

China is ready to work together with Saudi Arabia to advance bilateral relations to new heights, Chinese Premier Li Qiang said in Riyadh on Wednesday.

Premier Li held talks with Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, and co-chaired the Fourth Meeting of the High-Level Chinese-Saudi Joint Committee with him.

During their talks, Li first conveyed Chinese President Xi Jinping's warm greetings to Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.

He highlighted that under the strategic guidance of their leaders, China and Saudi Arabia have maintained mutual respect, mutual trust, mutual benefit, and mutual learning and understanding, with the bilateral relationship developing comprehensively, rapidly, and deeply.

China is willing to firmly support each other with Saudi Arabia and work towards mutual achievements, firmly regard each other's development as an important opportunity, and further strengthening the role of the High-Level Chinese-Saudi Joint Committee, with the aim of advancing bilateral relations to new heights and continuously improving the well-being of the people of the two countries, said the premier.

China is willing to work closely with Saudi Arabia and advance together on the path of development, said Li.

He called on both sides to further expand bilateral trade, deepen cooperation in traditional areas such as oil and gas, petrochemicals and infrastructure, explore collaboration in emerging fields like new energy, information and communications, and the digital economy, while encouraging their respective companies to invest in each other's countries and working together to maintain the stability of global industrial and supply chains.

He urged both sides to successfully organize the China-Saudi Arabia Year of Culture in 2025, advance cooperation in people-to-people exchanges, and continuously enhance mutual understanding and friendship between the people of the two countries.

China is ready to enhance multilateral coordination with Saudi Arabia, foster unity and cooperation among Asian nations, and promote global governance in a more just and reasonable direction, Li said.

For his part, the Saudi crown prince said Saudi Arabia looks forward to further strengthening high-level exchanges with China, fully utilizing the High-Level Saudi-Chinese Joint Committee mechanism, and enhancing cooperation in areas such as energy, investment, and people-to-people exchanges.

Saudi Arabia and China adhere to the principles of respecting other nations' sovereignty and non-interference in internal affairs, he said.

Saudi Arabia highly appreciates China's just stance on the Palestine issue and is ready to collaborate closely with China on international multilateral affairs, he told Li.

After the meeting, the two sides signed the minutes of the Fourth Meeting of the High-Level Saudi-Chinese Joint Committee.

Prior to the talks, Premier Li attended a welcome ceremony held by the Saudi crown prince.

During the visit, the two sides signed several bilateral cooperation documents on meteorology, and other areas.

Concluding his visit to Saudi Arabia, Li left for Abu Dhabi on Wednesday for an official visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the second and final leg of Li's four-day tour to the Middle East.

In'tl Red Cross Committee vice president hails deepening ties with China

2024-09-17 18:58 Last Updated At：19:17

Vice President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Gilles Carbonnier on Saturday said he was encouraged by the humanitarian organization's deepening relationship with China.

In an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN) during the 11th Xiangshan Forum, Carbonnier said the ICRC has not only been engaged in dialogue with China and other states, but has also welcomed the country's involvement in the launch of programs to help people affected by conflicts.

"China is definitely a major player. We really are very encouraged to see that our relationship with the PLA, with the People's Liberation Army, with the Ministry of Defense deepening on several issues of common interest, especially on International Humanitarian Law and humanitarian priorities. We at the ICRC really look forward to developing this dialogue, of course, here in Beijing, but also as we're doing in Geneva, in New York, as well as in the field, for example, where Chinese peacekeepers are also active," he said.

The three-day Xiangshan Forum opened on Thursday in Beijing, attracting more than 500 representatives of official delegations from more than 100 countries and international organizations, and over 200 experts and scholars to discuss global security.

At the forum, Carbonnier delivered a speech on the topic of the international mechanism and global security governance.