Day: May 31, 2024

Wael bin Nasser Al Mubarak, the Minister of Municipalities Affairs and Agriculture, participated in the 27th meeting of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) ministers responsible for municipal affairs, held in Doha. The meeting was attended by Jassim Mohammed Al Budaiwi, the Secretary General of the GCC, along with ministers from the member states. The Minister affirmed Bahrain's dedication to strengthening and developing joint Gulf cooperation, particularly in municipal affairs, in line with the unified visions and plans of the GCC countries. The Minister emphasised the importance of unifying efforts, developing municipal regulatory frameworks, and exchanging successful experiences and expertise. He highlighted the crucial role of municipal sectors in promoting comprehensive development standards, ensuring the progress of Gulf societies, and bolstering their national economies. He stressed the importance of advancing joint Gulf municipal work to achieve the goals of deepening cooperation, connection, and integ ration among GCC countries. The Minister underscored the significance of the meeting and its discussions on important decisions that contribute to advancing municipal work in the GCC. These include the Supreme Council's resolutions on the urban environment and strategic urban planning, the launch of an electronic version of the Gulf Building Code, and the development of municipal regulations and guidelines for urban greening and beautification. Source: Bahrain News Agency

His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa today visited the National People's Congress in the People's Republic of China, as part of his official state visit. His Majesty was received by His Excellency Mr. Leji Zhao, the Speaker of the National People's Congress. During the meeting with HE the Speaker, His Majesty emphasised that the Kingdom of Bahrain places special importance on its relations with the People's Republic of China and looks forward to further advancing cooperation with it in various disciplines due to China's outstanding expertise and significant advancement in areas of trade, production, investment and development. His Majesty highlighted the promising investment opportunities offered by the Kingdom in all sectors and its strong attributes, citing its strategic location, openness, stability, advanced and modern infrastructure and attractive regulations. His Majesty the King praised the successful parliamentary progress in Bahrain, which continues to accomplish achievements at various leve ls. His Majesty expressed pride in the role of the legislative authority and its significant contributions to serving the process of development and modernisation in the nation. Furthermore, His Majesty expressed his appreciation for the important role of China globally, supported by its civilisational, political, security and economic stature. His Majesty commended the role of the Chinese community and its contributions to advancing economic development and trade in Bahrain. The meeting discussed issues and regional and international developments of common interest. For his part, HE Speaker Zhao welcomed the important visit of His Majesty the King to China, which lays the foundation for a new phase in the strong, strategic relations between the two countries. HE valued the role of His Majesty in advancing those longstanding relations which continue to witness progress and development at various levels. Source: Bahrain News Agency

His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa today met with, His Excellency Mr. Li Qiang, the Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China, on the sidelines of HM the King's state visit to the People's Republic of China. Upon his arrival at the State Council Premier's headquarters, HM King Hamad was received by HE Mr. Qiang. During his visit, HM the King held a meeting with the State Council Premier, where HE Mr. Qiang delivered a speech. Below is the text of the speech: Your Majesty the King, I would like to express my happiness upon receiving you and extend my warmest welcome your visit in China. Your Majesty, you are considered a long-standing friend of China, who is highly appreciated in all occasions. and we are deeply grateful for the honour of your esteemed presence on all occasions. The history of cooperation and exchange of relations between the two countries extends for centuries, and over the past 35 years of diplomatic relations, we have shared mutual respect and taken pride in our friendship with the Kingdom of Bahrain. This has been achieved through the expansion of bilateral cooperation across various fields, which has promoted acquaintance and exchange between the people of the two countries. Today, His Excellency the President of China will hold official talks with Your Majesty, and we are committed to strengthening cooperation with Bahrain to further implement joint strategies and develop relations. Following that, HM King Hamad delivered the followingspeech: In the name of Allah, the most gracious, the most merciful. His Excellency Mr.Li Qiang, the Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China, Your excellencies, We are pleased to meet Your Excellency the Premier and thank you for your warm hospitality. We would like to express our keenness to develop the progress of our cooperation and friendship, which enjoy a rich history dating back to the 1970s. We take great pride, today, for the evident closeness and mutual understanding it is characterised b y, which we highly appreciate. We would like to congratulate you on the successful results of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum, particularly His Excellency President Mr. Xi Jinping's Belt and Road Initiative. It is very important to us that we benefit from its promising opportunities to enrich cooperation with your esteemed nation. We are pleased with the significant outcomes and progress achieved through our strong partnership. During our meeting today with HE the Premier, we look forward to exploring cooperation and discussing the outcomes of the 33rd Arab Summit held in the Kingdom of Bahrain. We hope for your support in implementing the summit's outcomes to promote regional stability and prosperity. We take this opportunity to express our gratitude for China's contributions to various development projects in Bahrain, and your valued support for its membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). We also anticipate the outcomes of the current negotiations regarding the free trade area between the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the People's Republic of China. Your Excellency the Premier, As advocates of peace, tolerance, and human coexistence, we believe in adopting a peaceful and diplomatic approach, grounded in principles of good neighborliness and non-interference in internal affairs. We seek to resume diplomatic ties with Iran as a neighbour, and we welcome your support for this effort to promote peace and stability in the region, and for working together alongside are relevant parties to promptly deal with the repercussions of the situation in Palestine. We urge the international community and the United Nations Security Council to take a firm stance to stop the war on Gaza, paving the way for ending the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. We would also like to express our appreciation for China's stance on the recognition of the State of Palestine as a full member state of the United Nations and for its interest and unwavering support for just Arab causes. Once again, we express ou r gratitude to Your Excellency Primer for this meeting, and reiterate our commitment to the One China Principle, recognising its sovereignty and territorial integrity. We wish the People's Republic of China and its people continued progress and prosperity. May the peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah be upon you, The meeting discussed means to enhance relations and strengthen cooperation in various domains, particularly in economic, commercial, investment, and scientific areas. The two sides also reviewed various regional and international matters and developments. HM the King affirmed the Kingdom's pride in the strategic relations with the People's Republic of China and the commitment to further enhance cooperation. HM King Hamad emphasised the advancement of Bahraini-Chinese relations over the years on various levels, especially in the economic and commercial disciplines. HM the King highlighted the long-standing history and shared values between the two countries. HM King Hamad commended China's glo bal role and efforts in promoting cooperation with Arab countries, as well as its interest in achieving stability and security in the Middle Eastern region. Source: Bahrain News Agency

His Highness Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah Al Saud, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, during his visit to Beijing, met with Wang Yi, the Chinese Foreign Minister. According to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), the meeting focused on Saudi-Chinese relations and means to enhance them across various domains. They also discussed strengthening bilateral and multilateral coordination on issues of common interest. The two ministers addressed current regional and international developments and the efforts being made to address them. Source: Bahrain News Agency

His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa today held official talks with His Excellency Mr. Xi Jinping, President of the People's Republic of China, as part of His Majesty's official state visit. His Majesty was received by HE the Chinese President. A formal reception was conducted, during which a 21-gun salute was fired in honour of His Majesty and the national anthems of both countries were played. His Majesty and HE the Chinese President then inspected the guard of honour. At the onset of the talks, HE President Jinping gave the following remarks: We welcome His Majesty on his visit to the People's Republic of China and his participation in the 10th ministerial meeting of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum. In the beginning, I would like to congratulate you on hosting the 33rd Arab Summit after receiving the presidency of the Arab League Council. We trust that Bahrain will offer more contributions to enhance the development and advancement of the Arab world. Your Majesty, you are a longstanding friend of the Chinese people, and we appreciate your interest in developing bilateral relations and cooperation in all areas. It has been 11 years since your last visit and this visit holds special importance for developing and enhancing relations. Over the past years, these relations have advanced significantly due to our leadership and shared commitment. Our countries have been keen on bolstering cooperation across various sectors and coordinating stances. We are keen on developing our cooperation with you, to benefit our peoples and achieve common interests. His Majesty then gave the following speech: In the name of Allah, the most gracious, the most merciful. Your Excellency President Xi Jinping, the President of the People's Republic of China, Your Excellencies, I would like to extend cordial greetings and appreciation to Your Excellency. We thank you for your warm reception and generous hospitality. We are delighted to fulfill your kind invitation to your great country, with which we have a frien dship that we take pride in, so we can work through it to enhance our cooperation through activating our bilateral agreements and explore diverse investment opportunities available at both sides to achieve our common goals and aspirations. This visit comes within the framework of briefing you on the main outcomes of the Arab Summit, which the Kingdom of Bahrain presides over the 33rd session of. We highly trust in the support of our friend, China, for its decisions that serve the interests of the region, and its security and stability. We take this opportunity to express our gratitude for China's role and its interest in implementing a number of developmental projects in the Kingdom of Bahrain. In turn, Bahrain shares with you the interest in strengthening our economic relations which extend to the seventies of the last century, and we are proud to highlight again the first shipment of aluminium sent by Bahrain to your country since that time. Today, coinciding with this visit, the national carrier, Gulf A ir, launched its direct flights to Shanghai and Guangzhou. We believe, Your Excellency, that we are on the right path for developing our economic relations which hold high potential. We also appreciate, on this occasion, China's support for Bahrain's membership of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), which reflects the strong solidarity between our countries on an international level. We also anticipate the outcomes of the ongoing negotiations between the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and China to establish a free trade area to bolster trade and investment exchange between our two regions. Your Excellency, We are committed to consolidating and promoting the values of peace, tolerance and human coexistence. We call for resolving conflicts and granting people their basic human rights, such as decent living, good health and getting basic education. This has been asserted by the Bahrain Summit, which was held recently, through its resolutions and initiatives. We seek through them to reinforce joint Ar ab action and cooperation with friend nations, to uphold regional security and stability and achieve prosperity for the people of the region. We seek to resume diplomatic ties with Iran as a neighbour, and we welcome your support for this effort to promote peace and stability in the region, and for working together alongside other relevant parties to promptly deal with the repercussions of the situation in Palestine. We urge the international community and the Security Council to take a firm stance to stop the war on Gaza, paving the way for ending the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. We value China's stances on the recognition of the State of Palestine as a full member state of the United Nations and for its interest and unwavering support for just Arab causes. We thank you, Your Excellency, for this honourable position that we support and take pride in. In conclusion, we reiterate our gratitude for your kind invitation, wishing you health and happiness, and your people and nation further progress and prosper ity. May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon you. The two sides discussed bilateral relations and their advanced status, focusing on means to further develop cooperation to serve the interests and objectives of both countries and their people. His Majesty the King commended the ongoing development accomplished by the People's Republic of China in economic growth, comprehensive development, technological advancement, and innovation. His Majesty emphasised Bahrain's commitment to developing joint cooperation to benefit from the advanced Chinese expertise in various disciplines. Furthermore, His Majesty affirmed that the leadership and people of the Kingdom of Bahrain were proud of the historical relations with the People's Republic of China. His Majesty lauded its distinguished global position as a permanent member of the Security Council, noting its efforts to preserve international peace and security and its steadfast support for just Arab causes, particularly the Palestinian cause. In this regard, H is Majesty praised the position of the People's Republic of China at the Security Council in support of a permanent ceasefire in the Gaza Strup and of accepting the State of Palestine as a full member of the United Nations. For his part, HE the Chinese President expressed his appreciation for the sound approach of the Kingdom of Bahrain in its development process and international relations, and its efforts to foster the values of tolerance, human coexistence and civilisational communication. HE commended the Kingdom of Bahrain's hosting of the 33rd Arab Summit and the big success it has achieved to promote Arab cooperation at all levels. HE the Chinese President lauded the steadfast Arab stances of the Kingdom of Bahrain, under the leadership of His Majesty the King, and its active role in supporting Arab causes and reinforcing joint Arab action. HE also hailed the wise stances of His Majesty towards the issues in the region, and his efforts to achieve regional peace and stability. Moreover, the talks cov ered regional and international developments of common interest. They also also discussed developments in the Middle East and the Arab region, at the forefront of which are the efforts to achieve a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and to deliver unimpeded aid humanitarian aid to alleviate the suffering of the people of Gaza. The two sides emphasised the importance of working on mobilising effective international action to support the peace process in the Middle East for achieving fair and lasting peace in the region, ensure the withdrawal of Israel from occupied Arab land, and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state based on the two-state solution and international legitimacy resolutions to ensure peace and stability in the region. The two leaders stressed the importance of the role of the Security Council in preserving international peace and security, settling international disputes through dialogue and diplomatic negotiations in line with international law fundamentals to ensure peace and stabil ity for the people of the world and reinforce international efforts to resolve challenges and pressing international issues, mainly sustainable development, environment and climate change, food security, cybersecurity, combatting terrorism and its financing and preventing nuclear proliferation. His Majesty the King and His Excellency the Chinese President then witnessed signing the following agreements and memoranda of understanding between the two countries: 1- MoU between the Ministry of Finance and National Economy of Bahrain and Ministry of Commerce of China: The MoU aimed to promote investment and trade between the two countries. The MoU was signed by Shaikh Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, the Minister of Finance and National Economy, and Wang Wentao, the Minister of Commerce of China. 2- MoU between Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company and China Investment Cooperation (CIC): This MoU aimed to enhance relations and boost investment cooperation between the two companies. It was signed by Shaikh Salman b in Khalifa Al Khalifa, the Minister of Finance and National Economy, and peng Chun, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of CIC. 3- MoU between the Ministry of Health of Bahrain, and the National Health commission of China: This MoU aims to boost relations in the health sector and health sciences. It was signed by Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Lei Haichao, the Secretary of the Leading Party Members' Group of the National Health Commission of China. 4- MoU between the Ministry of Industry and Commerce of Bahrain, and the Ministry of Commerce of China: This MoU aims to enhance cooperation in e-commerce. It was signed by Abdullah bin Adel Fakhro, the Minister of Industry and Commerce, and Wang Wentao, the Minister of Commerce of China. 5- MoU between the Ministry of Industry and Commerce of Bahrain and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of China: This MoU aims to enhance industrial cooperation. It was signed by Abdullah bin Adel Fakhro, the Minis ter of Industry and Commerce, and Wang Wentao, the Minister of Commerce of China. 6- MoU between the Ministry of Industry and Commerce of Bahrain and the Ministry of Commerce of China, in implementation of the 14th Five-Year Plan and 2035 Long-Term Objectives: This MoU aims to enhance digital economy and investment cooperation. It was signed by Abdullah bin Adel Fakhro, the Minister of Industry and Commerce, and Wang Wentao, the Minister of Commerce of China. 7- MoU between the National Space Science Agency (NSSA) of Bahrain and the China National Space Administration (CNSA): This MoU aims to strengthen efforts in outer space, organising training programmes in science, and space technologies. It was signed by Dr. Shaikh Abdullah bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, the Undersecretary for Political Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Zhang Kejian,the Director of the China National Space Administration. 8- Cooperation agreement between Xinhua News Agency and Bahrain News Agency: This agreement aims at news exchange and information. It was signed by Dr. Shaikh Abdullah bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, the Undersecretary for Political Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Fu Hua, the President of Xinhua News Agency. 9- MoU between the National Communications Centre (NCC) of Bahrain, and China Media Group: This MoU aims to enhance cooperation between media outlets and institutions. It was signed by Dr. Shaikh Abdullah bin Ahmed Al Khalifa,the Undersecretary for Political Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Shen Haixiong, the President of China Media Group. 10- MoU between Bahrain Polytechnic and Peking University: This MoU aims to enhance strategic cooperation in various fields and strengthen academic cooperation. It was signed by Dr. Shaikh Abdullah bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, the Undersecretary for Political Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Gong Qihuang, the President of Peking University. In honour of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, His Excellency President Xi Jinping hosted a dinner attended by members of the accompanying delegation and senior Chinese government officials. Following the visit, President Xi Jinping bid farewell to His Majesty King Hamad at the end of His Majesty's state visit to China. Source: Bahrain News Agency

During His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa's official state visit to Beijing, a joint statement was issued today, marking the establishment of a comprehensive strategic partnership between the Kingdom of Bahrain and the People's Republic of China. The visit was at the invitation of His Excellency Xi Jinping, President of the People's Republic of China. Since establishing diplomatic relations on April 18, 1989, Bahrain and China have maintained mutual respect and equality, with their relations steadily developing, political trust growing, and practical cooperation growing stronger across various fields, the statement said. Celebrating the 35th anniversary of their diplomatic relations, both nations expressed satisfaction with their progress and agreed to a comprehensive strategic partnership to enhance cooperation in all areas for the benefit of their peoples, the statement announced. The statement said that both countries will continue supporting each other on core issues. 'China reaffirms its supp ort for Bahrain's sovereignty, security, and stability, rejecting external interference in Bahrain's internal affairs,' it read. 'Bahrain reaffirms its commitment to the One-China policy and supports China's efforts to maintain its sovereignty and territorial integrity.' Bahrain praised President Xi Jinping's Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative, and Global Civilisation Initiative, the statement added. In turn, China welcomed Bahrain's participation in these initiatives and expressed readiness to cooperate. Both sides emphasised the importance of true multilateralism, upholding the international system centred on the UN, and promoting a multipolar world and inclusive economic globalisation. They pledged to work together to build a community with a shared future for humanity. The two countries agreed to enhance communication at all levels, expand exchanges between government and parliamentary bodies, and strengthen policy coordination to deepen political trust. They will continue coop eration under the Belt and Road Initiative, expanding collaboration in infrastructure, economy, trade, investment, finance, new energy, advanced technology, agriculture, fisheries, education, culture, tourism, and health to foster development and prosperity. China congratulated Bahrain on successfully hosting the 33rd Arab League Summit on May 16, 2024, and commended Bahrain's initiative to host an international peace conference, recognising Bahrain's efforts in promoting peace in the Middle East. Both sides praised the role of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum in advancing joint cooperation and expressed readiness to ensure the implementation of the outcomes of the first China-Arab States Summit. They committed to preparing for the second China-Arab States Summit in China in 2026, fostering China-Arab cooperation and building a shared future. The statement said that the two leaders stressed the importance of implementing the outcomes of the first China-GCC Summit, deepening strategic partnerships, a nd working towards a China-GCC free trade agreement at the earliest opportunity. Both sides affirmed that maintaining peace and stability in the Middle East and the Gulf serves the fundamental and long-term interests of the region's people. They support resolving disputes through dialogue and consultation, utilising positive neighbourliness, and enhancing communication and coordination on regional affairs to jointly contribute to peace, development, and security. Source: Bahrain News Agency