KUWAIT: Kuwait was among the first countries to establish diplomatic relations with China in 1971, said a Chinese official on Friday, lauding strategic ties with Kuwait. President of Chinese News Agency (Xinhua) Fu Hua made the remark during a meeting with Kuwait’s Ambassador to China, Jassem Al-Najem, the Kuwait Embassy to China said in a statement of which KUNA obtained a copy. Kuwait is the first country in the Middle East region to join the Belt and Road Initiative in 2013, Fu said. Fu commended the important visit made by His Highness the Amir Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah to China last September, when he served as the Crown Prince.

The Chinese official said that the visit caught the attention of China’s media, expressing the readiness of Xinhua to boost and develop cooperation with KUNA in a manner that suits the distinguished ties between the two countries. He affirmed that fruitful cooperation between media outlets is an essential part of pushing relations between the two countries to wider horizons. Meanwhile, Al-Najem extolled the historical visit of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah to China, where he attended the 19th session of the Asian Games.

During the visit, His Highness the Amir Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah held official talks with the Chinese President, and seven memoranda of understanding on development and infrastructure projects were signed following the talks. Kuwait-China ties are witnessing the best phases, especially because Kuwait is paying much attention to the Belt and Road Initiative, which is compatible with Kuwait Vision 2035, the ambassador noted. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two sides in 1971, Kuwait has been supporting and sticking to the One China principle, he said. — KUNA