KUWAIT: China’s Vice President Han Zheng arrived in Kuwait on Saturday for an official visit, as part of a Gulf tour aimed at strengthening political and economic ties. At Kuwait International Airport, Han was received by Minister of Public Works and Head of the Honorary Delegation Dr Noura Al-Mashaan, Assistant Foreign Minister for Asian Affairs Ambassador Sameeh Hayat, and Kuwaiti Ambassador to China Jasem Al-Najem.
The visit comes after Han’s stop in Saudi Arabia and ahead of his trip to Qatar, where he is set to attend the Second World Summit for Social Development from Nov 3 to 5. In Saudi Arabia, Han attended the Future Investment Initiative conference where he said China stands ready to collaborate with Saudi Arabia and other countries in the region “to deepen friendly collaboration, advance high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, and forge a more multidimensional pattern of energy cooperation,” Xinhua reported.
The two sides, he suggested, should also speed up efforts to secure new progress in financial and investment cooperation, foster cultural and people-to-people exchanges, and explore new frontiers in innovation collaboration, the agency said.
China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun described the tour as “an important high-level interaction between China and countries in the Middle East.” Speaking to China Central Television (CCTV) on Monday, he said Saudi Arabia is China’s “comprehensive strategic partner,” while Kuwait and Qatar are “strategic partners.” Guo added that since President Xi Jinping’s 2022 visit to Riyadh, relations with the three countries have seen “remarkable progress,” with strengthened political trust, fruitful practical cooperation, and growing people-to-people and cultural exchanges.
Han is expected to discuss bilateral relations and issues of mutual interest with Kuwaiti officials, Guo told CCTV.
China has been Kuwait’s largest trading partner since 2015, with 2024 trade reaching more than $16 billion, including $4.8 billion in Chinese exports and over 15.9 million tons of crude oil imported from Kuwait, according to China’s Foreign Ministry.
Infrastructure projects, such as Mubarak Al-Kabeer Port, also highlight the partnership under Kuwait’s Vision 2035 and China’s Belt and Road Initiative. Guo added that China supports Qatar in hosting the social development summit and “stands ready to inject fresh impetus to global social development and promote the building of a community with a shared future for humanity.” — Agencies
