REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, RIYADH -- The six energy-rich Arab monarchies of the Gulf are seeking to strengthen ties with China, Gulf Cooperation Council chiefAbdullatif al-Zayani said Wednesday after talks with the Chinese foreignminister.
Zayani held talks in Saudi Arabia with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi andexpressed "GCC interest in bolstering friendship and cooperation ties withChina," a GCC statement said.
Wang was quoted as saying that Beijing wants to "expand economic, trade andinvestment relations" with GCC countries and spoke of the "strategic cooperation and relations (it has) with the GCC".
Wang arrived in Saudi Arabia as part of a regional tour during which healso visit Israel, Palestina, Morocco and Algeria.
Saudi media said he will be discussing with Saudi Foreign Minister PrinceSaudi al-Faisal a "strategic partnership" between Beijing and Riyadh. It didnot elaborate.
Gulf monarchies are wary of Washington's reluctance to provide militarysupport to Syrian rebels and for its openness towards their regional archfoe Iran, and are looking to improve ties with other nations.
The Sunni-ruled monarchies, like Western powers, fear that Iran may developnuclear weapons under the cover of its disputed nuclear programme, which Iraninsists is for peaceful purposes only.
China, and the United States,are among the five permanent members of theUN Security Council, which along with Germany, negotiated a landmark nucleardeal with Iran.
The GCC -- Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, the United Arab Emirates and SaudiArabia -- has given a cautious welcome to the deal struck in November.
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