Beijing, Sept. 8 (SANA) Chinese Premier Li Qiang and Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani discussed efforts to reduce tensions in the Middle East and issues of mutual interest during talks in Beijing on Monday.
Xinhua News Agency quoted Li saying China is ready to work with Gulf countries and the international community to promote peace and stability in the region.
“Qatar is an important strategic partner for China in the Middle East,” Li said, reaffirming China’s support for efforts aimed at achieving peace, easing tensions resulting from the U.S.-Israeli-Iranian war, and supporting Qatar’s mediation efforts in the region.
Li called for closer alignment of development strategies, high-quality cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative, and deeper bilateral cooperation, particularly in traditional and renewable energy, infrastructure, artificial intelligence and finance.
For his part, Sheikh Mohammed praised China’s efforts to promote peace and stability in the Middle East.
China has previously called for the restoration of normal navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, stressing the importance of adhering to the ceasefire between the United States and Iran and reaching a comprehensive solution to regional tensions.
Six months after the outbreak of the war in the Middle East, the Strait of Hormuz remains largely disrupted, according to the supplied notes, with the movement of vessels carrying essential goods declining by about 85 percent and around 6,000 sailors reportedly stranded in the Gulf, in one of the world’s biggest maritime crises in decades.
R.D/RK
