Yang Xin: Kuwait-China relations have entered a 'faster track', and we look forward to a broader partnership in energy and technology

Osama Diab: Yang Xin, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Kuwait, affirmed that Sino-Kuwaiti relations are witnessing growing momentum and rapid development. He noted that bilateral cooperation has entered a “faster track” thanks to the strategic guidance of the leaderships of both countries, with the scope of partnership expanding to include political, economic, cultural, scientific, technological, and security sectors.

Ambassador Yang Xin, in statements to journalists on the sidelines of a reception hosted by the embassy to celebrate Kuwait’s National Day, the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, and the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Kuwait, was joined by Dr. Sabih Al-Makhzoum, Minister of Electricity, Water, and Renewable Energy, along with a group of ambassadors and heads of diplomatic missions accredited to Kuwait.

He stated that this year marks the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Kuwait, noting that the two countries established a strategic partnership in 2018. He emphasized that China is “fully satisfied with the current state of bilateral relations” and looks forward to continuing to deepen comprehensive cooperation to deliver further benefits to the peoples of both nations.

He added that the two countries are working to align China’s high-quality Belt and Road Initiative with Kuwait’s Vision 2035, thereby opening broader horizons for cooperation in trade, investment, infrastructure, and construction, as well as in port development, logistics zones, and supply chains. He stressed that Kuwait enjoys a strategic geographical location that qualifies it to leverage its advantages to build a regional logistics hub connecting Asia and Europe, with the potential to extend its connectivity to Africa. He highlighted China’s readiness to deepen cooperation with Kuwait in port and infrastructure development, and to enhance collaboration in logistics and supply chains to achieve mutual benefit and shared development.

Regarding strategic projects, Ambassador Yang Xin clarified that some construction projects were affected by regional developments, but they remain ongoing. He noted that the contract for the water treatment project has been signed, with implementation work set to begin soon, and expressed his expectation that additional contracts will be signed this year.

In the energy sector, he affirmed that China and Kuwait are “important energy partners for each other,” explaining that China has long been a major importer of Kuwaiti crude oil, while Kuwait remains among the top ten oil suppliers to China. He stated that his country is ready to continue deepening cooperation in the oil and gas sectors, contributing to the energy and economic security of both countries, while also looking forward to expanding cooperation in the new energy sector. He pointed out that cooperation documents signed in the presence of the leaderships of both countries included projects in new energy, expressing China’s hope that renewable energy will become a “new highlight and a new growth driver” in Sino-Kuwaiti cooperation in the near future.

In the fields of technology and emerging sectors, he said China is ready to continue cooperating with Kuwait in traditional sectors, while simultaneously creating new growth engines, including artificial intelligence, the digital economy, smart cities, and cybersecurity, thereby broadening the scope of partnership and opening new horizons for cooperation in advanced technology sectors.

In the security and military field, Yang Xin affirmed that cooperation between China and Kuwait represents an important aspect of bilateral relations, noting the good relations between the two countries in this area. He explained that cooperation includes the armed forces of both countries, pointing to the start of operations of the ammunition factory in Kuwait at the beginning of this year, alongside the continuation of visits and student exchanges between the two sides. He emphasized China’s expectation to continue expanding security and military cooperation in the coming phase.

On the level of Sino-Gulf relations, Yang Xin affirmed that “all Arab Gulf states are close friends of China,” stressing that Sino-Gulf relations go far beyond energy cooperation to include political trust, shared economic development, and the leveraging of the rich cultural heritage of both sides. He said that in a rapidly changing world, both sides agree on the necessity of adhering to international law, international humanitarian law, the UN Charter, and the fundamental rules of international relations. He affirmed that China supports the peoples of the Middle East, including Gulf states, in taking charge of their destiny and playing a greater role in international and regional affairs.

Regarding regional developments and escalation in the region, Yang Xin affirmed that China has worked since the outbreak of fighting to push for a ceasefire and de-escalation, as well as to restore normal navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. He noted that Chinese President Xi Jinping has taken a number of initiatives and policies aimed at pushing for a ceasefire, and affirmed the continuation of Chinese efforts to reduce escalation and find solutions to the crisis. He clarified that China’s full position on regional developments will be detailed in the official statement that was distributed, stressing the importance of de-escalation and the restoration of normal navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.

The ambassador affirmed that the Strait of Hormuz represents an important international commercial corridor for goods and energy, and that maintaining the security and stability of the region, ensuring freedom of navigation, and its smooth flow serve the common interest of the international community. He expressed hope that all parties would work together to resume normal navigation in the strait as soon as possible.

He stressed that Sino-Kuwaiti relations, based on strategic guidance from the leaderships of both countries, possess a solid foundation and broad prospects for growth. He affirmed China’s commitment to continuing to develop the partnership with Kuwait and expanding cooperation areas to enhance common interests and support the sustainable development of both countries.

In his speech during the event, the ambassador noted that the Chinese economy maintained strong momentum of stable and positive growth this year, explaining that China’s GDP grew by 4.7% year-on-year in the first half of the year, an increase of 3.6 trillion yuan, which is the largest increase recorded during the same period over the past five years.