The first Joint Ministerial meeting for Strategic Dialogue between the Gulf Cooperation Council and China was held today in the Chinese capital of Beijing. On the Chinese side, the meeting was chaired by China's Minister of Foreign Affairs Yang Jitche while Sheikh Dr. Mohammed Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah, Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister of Kuwait, chaired the GCC side in his capacity as holding the rotatory presidency of the GCC Foreign ministers council. United Arab Emirates Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Dr. Anwar bin Mohammed Gargash, whose country will hold the next rotatory presidency of the GCC, and Abdulrahman bin Hamad Al-Atiyyah, GCC Secretary General, also took part in the meeting on the GCC side. The two sides agreed that relations between China and the GCC witnessed continuing development in the last few years and achieved fruitful results. They expressed belief that the launch of strategic dialogue mechanism would contribute to enhancing mutual confidence and joint cooperation through consultation and coordination at the international arena between the two parties. They expressed satisfaction over the outcome of the first strategic dialogue between GCC and China, citing the signing of a memorandum of understanding regarding the strategic dialogue between the GCC and China. The second meeting will be held in the United Arab Emirates in the year 2011. The GCC side expressed thanks to and appreciation of the government and people of China for generous hospitality and good arrangement for this meeting. Later, the GCC delegation had a meeting with China's Vice President Chi Jinbing. They exchanged views on relations between China and the GCC and reviewed the regional and international issues.
