Ambassador: Hu's visit to enhance coop with GCC

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-02-09 11:20

RIYADH - Chinese President Hu Jintao's upcoming visit to Saudi Arabia and talks with Abdul Rahman Al-Attiyah, secretary-general of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), will strengthen cooperation between China and the GCC, Chinese Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Yang Honglin said here Sunday.

At the invitation of King of Saudi Arabia Abdullah bin Abdul-Aziz, Chinese President Hu Jintao will pay a three-day state visit to Saudi Arabia from Tuesday.

Yang said that in recent years, the friendship between China and GCC members -- Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates -- has witnessed comprehensive development.

Bilateral trade between the GCC and China has been on rise, with the GCC having become China's eighth largest trading partner.

According to statistics released by China Customs, bilateral trade volume in 2007 reached US$58 billion, with Chinese imports from the GCC members amounting to US$30.3 billion and exports to GCC 27.7 billion dollars.

Yang said the Chinese government attaches great importance to developing friendly cooperation with the GCC and hopes bilateral relations can be pushed forward through joint efforts.