China, Bahrain to promote co-op to further deepen bilateral ties

MANAMA, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Bahraini Crown Prince and Prime Minister Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa and visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi agreed to enhance cooperation to further strengthen their relationship during their meeting here Monday.

China cherishes its traditional friendship with Bahrain and is willing to work with the kingdom to carry forward the fine tradition of mutual trust and mutual support between the two countries, as well as jointly safeguard the legitimate interests of the two sides, the development rights of developing countries, and world peace and stability, Wang said.

Wang said that China hopes the two sides will enhance the synergy between the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative and Bahrain's Economic Vision 2030, expand mutually beneficial cooperation in infrastructure construction, big data, e-commerce and other fields, so as to contribute to the upgrading of Bahrain's economy.

China appreciates His Royal Highness Prince's personal participation in China's vaccine clinical trials, and stands ready to continue to advance vaccine cooperation with Bahrain and to provide support and assistance within its capacity in Bahrain's fight against the epidemic, he noted.

Against the backdrop that the world today is entering a period of turbulence and change, joint cooperation among various countries is essential for maintaining world peace and stability, Wang said.

Noting that non-interference in other countries' internal affairs is a basic norm in international relations, he said countries across the world should first and foremost put their own house in order.

Multilateralism is the cornerstone of world peace and stability, the foundation of international rule of law, and also a guarantee for the survival of small and medium-sized countries, he added.

The COVID-19 pandemic has once again taught us that the destinies of all countries are closely related, said the foreign minister.

Beyond different social systems, ideologies and cultural backgrounds, countries worldwide should work together to build a good earth home on which we depend for survival, and join hands to build a community with a shared future for mankind, he said.

For his part, Salman said that Bahrain-China relations have made great progress in recent years. The kingdom sincerely appreciates China's strong support in its fight against the epidemic, the crown prince said, adding that he feels very proud to participate in the international Phase III clinical trial of China's COVID-19 vaccine.

"The Chinese vaccine has demonstrated sufficient safety and efficacy, which has not only protected people's lives and health, but also greatly enhanced Bahraini people's understanding of and goodwill towards China. Bahrain hopes to continue to promote vaccine cooperation with China," he added.

Bahrain is willing to keep closer exchanges and visits with China at all levels, deepen cooperation in various fields including energy, infrastructure construction and high technology, in order to push the friendly cooperative bilateral relations to a new level, said the crown prince.