Safadi holds talks with Chinese officials

AMMAN — Minister of Foreign and Affairs Expatriates Ayman Safadi met in Beijing on Wednesday with Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi and Foreign Minister Wang Yi to discuss bilateral relations and means to strengthen them, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Safadi discussed with Jiechi the latest developments in the region, and briefed him on efforts exerted by Jordan under the leadership of His Majesty King Abdullah to enhance security and stability in the Middle East.

He also conveyed His Majesty's congratulations to Chinese President Xi Jinping on the occasion of China's national day and his wishes of progress and prosperity to the Chinese people.

Yang voiced satisfaction over the level of the friendly relations between Jordan and China and expressed China’s keenness to further boost cooperation.

In a separate meeting at the Chinese foreign ministry, Safadi and his Chinese counterpart underlined continued cooperation and coordination between the two countries in the political, economic and cultural fields.

The two diplomats stressed the need to implement a previous agreement to build a strategic partnership that was signed during His Majesty’s latest visit to China through increasing economic, trade and investment cooperation.

They also highlighted the importance of the meeting that will be held by the joint committee on technical, economic and trade cooperation in Amman next month, which will pave the way for implementing joint projects, while they also discussed ways to increase the number of Chinese tourists to Jordan.

Safadi and Wang also discussed efforts under way to solve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, the Syrian crisis and the war on terrorism, with Safadi voicing appreciation for China’s support to efforts aimed at ending the conflict on the basis of the two-state solution. 

The two ministers also urged a political solution to the Syrian crisis that preserves the unity of the country, as well as continued cooperation in the war on terrorism.

China regards Jordan as a reliable partner in the region and appreciates the important role it plays in promoting regional security and stability, Wang said. 

China is the second largest economic partner of the Kingdom, while the two countries cooperate on several cultural and economic projects, including a plan under way to establish a Jordanian-Chinese technical university in Jordan and several roads, shale oil, desalination and other infrastructure projects.

Safadi is visiting China in response to an official invitation by his Chinese counterpart on the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries.