China pledges support for Bahrain to safeguard stability

Chinese President Xi Jinping (L) holds a welcoming ceremony for King of Bahrain Sheikh Hamad bin Isa Al-khalifa before their talks at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 16, 2013. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei)

Chinese President Xi Jinping met with the King of Bahrain Sheikh Hamad bin Isa Al-khalifa on Monday afternoon and pledged to back the Middle East country's efforts to safeguard stability.

"China respects Bahrain's independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity and supports the country's efforts to maintain stability and realize long-lasting peace and stability," Xi said as he held talks with the visiting king.

The king paid a state visit to China from Saturday to Monday at Xi's invitation.

During the visit, the two sides issued a joint communique, according to which China and Bahrain's mutual endorsement on issues involving each other's major interests have shown their sincere friendship.

Bahrain supports the one-China policy and backs the Chinese government's push to achieve national unification, says the communique.

China is opposed to any interference into Bahrain's internal affairs and endorses the bid to make the Middle East into a zone free of weapons of mass destruction, says the communique.

During the talks, President Xi praised Bahrain as an important partner in the Middle East as well as the Gulf region and said that the two countries should be committed to the forging of a stable and long-standing friendly and cooperative relationship.

Xi called on the two sides to push ahead with their cooperation in trade, finance, telecommunications, agriculture, new energy, infrastructure and other sectors.

The Chinese side is willing to train more professionals from Bahrain, said the president.

Xi also said the two countries should increase cultural and people-to-people exchanges and enhance communication and coordination on major international and regional affairs to maintain regional stability and safeguard the interests of developing countries.

According to the communique issued on Monday, China and Bahrain signed a series of cooperative documents on culture, health, finance, energy, taxation and education during the king's visit.

The Chinese side will "actively" consider listing Bahrain as a tourist destination for Chinese citizens, says the communique.

During the meeting, Xi also called for an early resumption of talks on establishing a free trade zone between China and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), a bloc of six Arab states bordering the Persian Gulf, including Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Bahrain holds the rotating presidency of the council in 2013.

As important partners regarding politics, economy and energy, China and the GCC should forge a close and comprehensive friendly and cooperative relationship, "which is in the common interests of both sides," Xi said.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, who met with the Bahrain king Monday afternoon as well, also urged Bahrain to play an active role in promoting cooperation between China and the GCC.

The establishment of a China-GCC free trade zone will be of great significance and benefit the people of both sides, Li said, citing the global trend of regional economic integration.

The Chinese side stands ready to resume free-trade-zone talks with the GCC with a view to achieving positive results at an early date and stepping up comprehensive cooperation between the two sides, said the premier.

Li said the Chinese side encourages capable Chinese enterprises to invest in Bahrain. He urged the Bahrain side to provide convenience for Chinese investors.

The king told the Chinese leaders that Bahrain will make efforts to push ahead with the establishment of the GCC-China free trade zone.

Bahrain welcomes Chinese investors and will further cement friendship and expand reciprocal cooperation with China to realize common development, the king added.