Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Wednesday called on China and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries to speed up the free trade agreement negotiations process.

In his meeting with Secretary General of the GCC Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Li noted that Chinese President Xi Jinping and leaders of the GCC countries held the first China-GCC Summit in 2022, jointly drawing a new blueprint for the China-GCC pragmatic cooperation.

According to a report by China Central Television (CCTV), China stands ready to work with the GCC countries to enhance communication and coordination, build a strong political foundation for bilateral relations, make steady progress in advancing cooperation in the five key areas proposed at the China-GCC Summit, speed up China-GCC Free Trade Agreement negotiations, and expand cooperation in areas such as digital economy and green development, said the Chinese premier.

China is willing to strengthen policy coordination with the GCC through such mechanisms as the st
rategic dialogue between China and the GCC, to push for deeper and more solid China-GCC relations and cooperation, said Li.

For his part, Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi said the GCC is willing to work with China to actively implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of both sides and strengthen dialogue and cooperation, expressing expectation for reaching an agreement on the free trade agreement as soon as possible.

The GCC highly appreciates China’s just position on the Palestinian cause, and supports efforts to promote peace and stability in the Middle East, he said.

Source: Emirates News Agency