Bahrain’s leaders hold talks with Chinese foreign minister

LONDON: King Hamad said Bahrain takes pride in its close historical ties with China during a meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
The king said relations are based on strong foundations of trust, mutual respect, cooperation and joint coordination in all fields.
Wang Yi, who is touring Gulf countries, met King Hamad at Al-Qudaibiya Palace in Manama on Monday.
The king and Wang discussed ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation, “especially in the investment, economic, commercial and scientific fields, in addition to developing various aspects of coordination and joint work in order to achieve the common interests of the two countries,” Bahrain News Agency (BNA) reported.
The king said Bahrain appreciated the interest China attaches to achieving security and stability in the Middle East, addressing political and security challenges, and accelerating the pace of cooperation among regional countries to achieve development and support the global economy.
Both sides also discussed efforts to combat the coronavirus pandemic.
Wang said he appreciated the king’s efforts to develop prosperous Bahraini-Chinese relations.
Wang also met Bahrain’s Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad who said Bahrain was proud to participate with the UAE and China in clinical COVID-19 vaccination trials.
The UAE, through G42, hosted Phase III clinical trials of the Chinese pharmaceutical giant Sinopharm vaccine from July, which later expanded to other countries in the region including Bahrain. On Monday the Emirates announced a new factory in Abu Dhabi to manufacture the vaccine later this year.
Wang later met with his Bahraini counterpart Abdullatif Al-Zayani where they witnessed the signing of an agreement to establish cultural centers in both countries.
Earlier on Monday, Wang held talks with his Omani counterpart Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Al-Busaidi in Muscat.

(With Reuters)