Visiting Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang and Kuwaiti Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah agreed to expand economic and energy cooperation between the two countries during their meeting in Kuwait City on Monday.

Kuwaiti Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser al-Mohammed al-Ahmad al-Sabah(R) meets visiting Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang in Kuwait City, Dec. 28, 2008. [Xinhua]

"China and Kuwait should form a lasting, stable and comprehensive partnership concerning the energy area," Li told the Kuwaiti prime minister, according to a press release from the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

Li said the two sides should deepen cooperation in the energy industries and study ways of joint exploration of both upstream and downstream industries.

He called on both sides to expand cooperation on infrastructure and telecommunication, increase contacts of people, and promote exchanges in the areas of finance, agriculture, science and technology and culture, in a bid to jointly respond to the change of global economic environment.

Li also said China always sees its relations from a strategic perspective with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and its six members, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait.

China is willing to further high level visits, enhance political mutual trust, broaden substantial cooperation and promote peace and stability in the Gulf region, Li said.

Nasser said Kuwait and China have witnessed a strong growth of bilateral trade volume this year, and taken a big step in energy cooperation.

Citing the current global financial crisis, he pledged that Kuwait is ready to further enhance cooperation with China in various fields, adding that Kuwait welcomes Chinese products and enterprises to enter the Kuwaiti market to realize common development.

The Chinese vice premier also visited oil facilities in Kuwait and met with major figures of the oil industry to get a better knowledge of the Gulf Arab state's oil industry and the progress of China-Kuwait energy cooperation.

China and Kuwait renewed their record of bilateral trade volume in 2007 with 3.6 billion U.S. dollars, according to official statistics, a 30-percent growth compared with that of 2006.

China imported 2.3 billion dollars worth of goods from Kuwait in 2007, with 90 percent of oil products, while only exporting 1.3billion dollars of goods to Kuwait.

Li and Nasser also hailed the sound state-to-state relations between China and Kuwait.

Li said relations between China and Kuwait, the first Gulf state to establish diplomatic ties with China, feature "deep friendship between the two peoples, all-along mutual political trust and equal respect."

Expressing his appreciation of Kuwait's support in the issues concerning China's major interests, he said China supports Kuwait's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Nasser acknowledged that China was also the first big power to recognize the independence of Kuwait.

Nasser said the Kuwaiti people have been always cherishing a friendly affection towards the Chinese people, and will never forget the firm support and help from the Chinese people.

Kuwait is the final leg of Li's 11-day overseas visit, his first foreign visit since he took office as vice premier in March, which has also taken him to Indonesia and Egypt.

(Xinhua News Agency December 30, 2008)