Further BRI cooperation prioritized

China and Bahrain reaffirmed on Friday their support for each other on issues concerning core interests, and agreed to expand cooperation in various areas and push for more results in Belt and Road cooperation, as President Xi Jinping met with Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa in Beijing.

The two heads of state also announced the establishment of a comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries.

Calling the Arab nation "a good friend and partner of China in the Gulf region", Xi spoke positively of the steady and healthy development of China-Bahrain relations in recent years, saying that it has brought concrete benefits to the two peoples.

China is now one of Bahrain's five largest trading partners, with the volume of non-oil bilateral trade exceeding $2.1 billion in 2023, according to the Foreign Ministry.

King Hamad, who attended the opening ceremony of the 10th Ministerial Conference of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum on Thursday, is paying a state visit to China from Tuesday to Saturday. His visit also coincides with the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

During their meeting, Xi said he appreciated the high attention King Hamad, as an old friend of the Chinese people, pays to the development of ties with China. "This is your first visit to China in 11 years, and it holds significant importance for advancing China-Bahrain relations," Xi said.

Xi said that China supports the Economic Vision 2030 of Bahrain and is willing to strengthen cooperation with Bahrain in areas including energy, investment, transportation, new energy and the digital economy.

He called on the two sides to enhance cultural exchanges and people-to-people interactions to help consolidate the friendship between the Chinese and Bahraini peoples.

The Chinese president told the Bahraini king that China supports countries in the Middle East region achieving peace and reconciliation and is willing to work with Bahrain and other Arab countries to promote a comprehensive, just and lasting settlement of the Palestinian issue.

China and Bahrain had been connected through the ancient Maritime Silk Road dating back to the 7th century AD, with their peoples getting acquainted with each other through the trade in goods such as silk, spices and porcelain.

By upholding the principles of mutual understanding, mutual assistance and equal treatment, the two countries set a fine example of peaceful coexistence and mutually beneficial cooperation between countries of different sizes and social systems.

King Hamad said that China's development bears a great significance for other developing countries as well as the process of building a multipolar world. It is the belief of his country that China will surely achieve the great national rejuvenation and make even greater contributions to world peace and prosperity, he said.

He said Bahrain will join hands with China to push for the free trade agreement between China and the Gulf Cooperation Council to be reached at an early date.

King Hamad, who is also the rotating chairperson of the Council of Heads of the League of Arab States, briefed Xi on the 33rd Arab League Summit held earlier this month, and especially on Arab countries' efforts in bringing an early end to the Gaza conflict. He said that China is hoped to play a bigger role.