Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi meets with Saudi Foreign Minister Adel bin Ahmed al-Jubeir in Beijing on Monday, July 9, 2018. (Photo/fmprc.gov.cn)
Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Monday China is willing to synergize development strategies with Saudi Arabia to enhance bilateral pragmatic cooperation in all areas.
China regards Saudi Arabia as a priority in its Middle East diplomacy. Beijing and Riyadh have reached broad consensus on bilateral cooperation in fields such as energy, finance and industrial capacity, said Wang during meeting with his Saudi Arabian counterpart Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir.
Since the establishment of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum, high-level exchanges between the two sides have become increasingly close and political mutual trust has continued to increase, said Wang.?
"In the next phase, the two sides need to deepen political mutual trust, synergize China's Belt and Road Initiative with Saudi Arabia's reform plan Vision 2030, and enhance bilateral cooperation in areas including energy, trade, investment and infrastructure construction," stressed Wang.
Wang added the two sides will also strengthen coordination and cooperation in international affairs.
"China will actively support Saudi Arabia to host the Group of Twenty (G20) summit in 2020 and is willing to share its success experience in hosting the G20 Hangzhou summit with Saudi Arabia," said Wang.
He added that China will also make joint efforts with Saudi Arabia to host Tuesday's Ministerial Meeting of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum (CASCF).
Jubeir, for his part, said Saudi Arabia supports China's Belt and Road Initiative and hopes to become one of its main participants.
He said Riyadh is willing to synergize its Vision 2030 with Beijing's Belt and Road Initiative, boost cooperation with China in vast areas and conduct trilateral cooperation with China and Africa.
Jubeir also added his country will stick to the one-China policy and support China's stance on the South China Sea.
Yang Jiechi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee also met with Jubeir in Beijing on Monday.
Yang, also director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee, said China has always regarded Saudi Arabia as a priority in its Middle East diplomacy as well as an important cooperation partner in the Belt and Road construction.
He called on both sides to further strengthen mutual political trust, facilitate alignment of development strategies, and closely coordinate with each other in international and regional affairs.
