BAGHDAD, Iraq, Aug 1 (NNN-XINHUA) – China’s Consul General in Erbil, Ni Ruchi, confirmed China’s desire to strengthen cooperation, with Iraq’s semi-autonomous region of Kurdistan, the Chinese consulate general said.
Ni held a meeting in Erbil, with President of Kurdistan, Nechirvan Barzani, during which, the Chinese diplomat hailed the longstanding friendship between the Chinese and the Kurds, as well as, the connection between the two cultures, the consulate said, in a statement.
“China and the Kurdish region have made great progress in exchange and cooperation, in the fields of economy, trade, culture and education,” it said.
The meeting was held, as this year marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China and the fifth anniversary of the establishment of the Chinese consulate, in the Iraqi Kurdistan region.
Ni said, China is willing to take this opportunity, to deepen its cooperation with Kurdistan, in the fields of energy and infrastructure, within the framework of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative.
For his part, Barzani reaffirmed Kurdistan’s willingness to enhance cooperation with China, in the fields of economy, trade, industry, culture and education.
The two sides discussed political situation in the region, and the efforts of rebuilding the areas, devastated in the fight against the Daesh, as well as, cooperation between the private sectors of both sides, it added.– NNN-XINHUA
