KUWAIT: The Charge d’Affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Kuwait, Liu Xiang, on Wednesday hailed the deep-rooted ties between China and Kuwait, which was the first Gulf country to establish diplomatic relations with Beijing. In a statement to KUNA upon the arrival of the 44th naval fleet of the Chinese Navy at Shuwaikh port on Wednesday, Liu mentioned that China must make every effort to implement the outcomes of the visit of His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah to China last month and to meet with the Kuwaiti and Chinese leaderships.
He added that both sides are linked by a deep traditional friendship, as Kuwait is the first country in the Middle East to sign cooperation documents within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative with China. In recent years, cooperation and exchanges between both sides in various fields have achieved productive results, especially since Chinese President Xi Jinping successfully met with His Highness the Crown Prince in the Chinese city of Hangzhou last month, which provided strong momentum to develop Chinese-Kuwaiti ties, he stated.
He added that the fleet arrived for a five-day visit, underscoring that this visit, the third of its kind, will undoubtedly enhance mutual understanding and cooperation between the Chinese and Kuwaiti armies. China is a strong and steadfast defender of global peace and stability, and since 2008, it has been sending naval fleets to participate in international ship escort operations over the past 15 years, he pointed out.
Chinese naval forces dispatched 45 fleets, completed about 1,600 escort missions for over 7,200 Chinese and foreign ships, and actively implemented the Global Security Initiative proposed by Xi, which demonstrates China’s assumption of responsibility for protecting global peace and stability, he said. — KUNA