KUWAIT: Kuwait’s Minister of Finance and Minister of State for Economic Affairs and Investment, Noura Al-Fassam, described China as “Kuwait’s largest trading partner,” highlighting strong bilateral relationship between the two countries which has flourished over the past 53 years. In her speech at the celebration hosted by the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Kuwait on Wednesday, marking the 75th anniversary of the founding of the republic, Minister Al-Fassam emphasized that the strategic partnership and close cooperation between the two countries have been further strengthened by the Belt and Road Initiative and other joint agreements.

She expressed her anticipation of working closely with the Chinese side in the near future to complete numerous projects, particularly the launch of the “Mubarak Al-Kabeer Port” and “Shagaya Renewable Energy” projects, which will contribute to achieving the state’s development vision. The Chinese Ambassador to Kuwait, Zhang Jianwei, discussed the outcomes of the recent visit by a delegation from the Communist Party of China (CPC) to Kuwait, which was led by the Deputy Minister of the International Liaison Department of the CPC Central Committee, Li Mingxiang.

Chinese ambassador showcasing chinese cars.

Dancers perform during the event.

He added, “As you know, the Communist Party of China is the ruling party, and this was its first visit. The Chinese delegation briefed Kuwaiti officials on the latest developments in China, particularly in economic growth, and suggested enhancing cooperation between the two countries in the future.” When asked if an executive plan had been established to implement major projects, the ambassador explained that both sides are “eager to strengthen cooperation and execute the agreements made between their countries’ leaders.” He added, “from Kuwait’s side, a ministerial committee, chaired by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and including officials from relevant ministries, has been formed.”

Meanwhile, the Chinese side has sent several delegations to consult with their Kuwaiti counterparts and conducted a field visit to Mubarak Al-Kabeer Port. The discussions, he said, covered renewable energy projects with both teams having reached significant progress toward achieving these initiatives. The ambassador emphasized that the Chinese side is “highly committed to driving these projects forward.”

He further noted that a Kuwaiti delegation, led by the Minister of Public Works, is currently participating in the Global Sustainable Transport Forum. The delegation also conducted a field visit to Tianjin Port and will visit Shanghai Port tomorrow, where they met with China’s Minister of Transport. He concluded by saying, “Notable progress has been made in accelerating the development of Mubarak Al-Kabeer Port.”

Pointing to other growing aspects of the relationship between the two countries, Zhang discussed the thriving people-to-people exchanges, which are characterized by increasing collaboration among youth, students, and media institutions from both nations. He highlighted the success of several Chinese cultural performance groups in Kuwait and the growing interest in the Chinese language, as well as expressing his delight at the increasing number of Kuwaitis visiting China for tourism, business, education, and shopping.