His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa today met with, His Excellency Mr. Li Qiang, the Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China, on the sidelines of HM the King's state visit to the People's Republic of China. Upon his arrival at the State Council Premier's headquarters, HM King Hamad was received by HE Mr. Qiang. During his visit, HM the King held a meeting with the State Council Premier, where HE Mr. Qiang delivered a speech. Below is the text of the speech: Your Majesty the King, I would like to express my happiness upon receiving you and extend my warmest welcome your visit in China. Your Majesty, you are considered a long-standing friend of China, who is highly appreciated in all occasions. and we are deeply grateful for the honour of your esteemed presence on all occasions. The history of cooperation and exchange of relations between the two countries extends for centuries, and over the past 35 years of diplomatic relations, we have shared mutual respect and taken pride in our friendship with the Kingdom of Bahrain. This has been achieved through the expansion of bilateral cooperation across various fields, which has promoted acquaintance and exchange between the people of the two countries. Today, His Excellency the President of China will hold official talks with Your Majesty, and we are committed to strengthening cooperation with Bahrain to further implement joint strategies and develop relations. Following that, HM King Hamad delivered the followingspeech: In the name of Allah, the most gracious, the most merciful. His Excellency Mr.Li Qiang, the Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China, Your excellencies, We are pleased to meet Your Excellency the Premier and thank you for your warm hospitality. We would like to express our keenness to develop the progress of our cooperation and friendship, which enjoy a rich history dating back to the 1970s. We take great pride, today, for the evident closeness and mutual understanding it is characterised b y, which we highly appreciate. We would like to congratulate you on the successful results of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum, particularly His Excellency President Mr. Xi Jinping's Belt and Road Initiative. It is very important to us that we benefit from its promising opportunities to enrich cooperation with your esteemed nation. We are pleased with the significant outcomes and progress achieved through our strong partnership. During our meeting today with HE the Premier, we look forward to exploring cooperation and discussing the outcomes of the 33rd Arab Summit held in the Kingdom of Bahrain. We hope for your support in implementing the summit's outcomes to promote regional stability and prosperity. We take this opportunity to express our gratitude for China's contributions to various development projects in Bahrain, and your valued support for its membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). We also anticipate the outcomes of the current negotiations regarding the free trade area between the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the People's Republic of China. Your Excellency the Premier, As advocates of peace, tolerance, and human coexistence, we believe in adopting a peaceful and diplomatic approach, grounded in principles of good neighborliness and non-interference in internal affairs. We seek to resume diplomatic ties with Iran as a neighbour, and we welcome your support for this effort to promote peace and stability in the region, and for working together alongside are relevant parties to promptly deal with the repercussions of the situation in Palestine. We urge the international community and the United Nations Security Council to take a firm stance to stop the war on Gaza, paving the way for ending the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. We would also like to express our appreciation for China's stance on the recognition of the State of Palestine as a full member state of the United Nations and for its interest and unwavering support for just Arab causes. Once again, we express ou r gratitude to Your Excellency Primer for this meeting, and reiterate our commitment to the One China Principle, recognising its sovereignty and territorial integrity. We wish the People's Republic of China and its people continued progress and prosperity. May the peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah be upon you, The meeting discussed means to enhance relations and strengthen cooperation in various domains, particularly in economic, commercial, investment, and scientific areas. The two sides also reviewed various regional and international matters and developments. HM the King affirmed the Kingdom's pride in the strategic relations with the People's Republic of China and the commitment to further enhance cooperation. HM King Hamad emphasised the advancement of Bahraini-Chinese relations over the years on various levels, especially in the economic and commercial disciplines. HM the King highlighted the long-standing history and shared values between the two countries. HM King Hamad commended China's glo bal role and efforts in promoting cooperation with Arab countries, as well as its interest in achieving stability and security in the Middle Eastern region. Source: Bahrain News Agency