HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang chairing a session of official talks at the People’s Palace in Beijing yesterday.

QNA/Beijing

HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani held a session of official talks with Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang at the People’s Palace here yesterday.

The talks dealt with aspects of bilateral co-operation between the two countries and means of developing and enhancing them in the context of the strategic relations between Qatar and China.

The session was attended by members of the official delegation accompanying the Emir and Chinese ministers and senior officials.

Following the talks the Emir witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on joint investment between the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) and China’s CITIC Group on the sidelines of the 5th forum for business leaders in the emerging markets.

The forum was organised under the auspices of QIA and the Credit Suisse Bank at Regent Hotel in the Chinese capital Beijing yesterday morning.

The MoU provides $10bn to invest equally in China in several sectors such as infrastructure, utilities, health, energy, real estate, and retail.  

The Emir also attended a session of the Forum during which he met a group of businessmen.

Earlier yesterday the Emir held several meetings at his residence in Beijing.

In the morning the Emir held separate meetings with the president of China Islamic Association Imam Hilaluddin Chen Guangyuan and chairman of the Chinese-Arab Friendship Association Arken Imirbaki who called on him to greet him on his official visit to China.

During the meetings, HH the Emir reviewed with the Chinese officials issues of mutual interest.  

The meetings were attended by the members of the official delegation accompanying the Emir.

The Emir also met Qatari students on scholarships in China.

At the outset of the meeting, which took place at his residence, the Emir welcomed the students, commending their effort to serve their community and their country.

The Emir urged them to make the most of every opportunity of learning and cultural exchange offered by the scholarship, as well as the importance of building and forming relationships and acquiring knowledge and expertise.

The students expressed their thanks and gratitude to the Emir,  saying that his visit will motivate them to continue their studies.

Later in the evening at the People’s Palace in Beijing Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress Yu Zhengsheng.

Talks during the meeting focused on relations between the two countries and ways of developing them in addition to a number of issues of mutual interest.  

Several Chinese ministers and senior government officials also attended the meeting.

The Emir then left Beijing for South Korea wrapping up a two-day state visit to China.  

The Emir and his accompanying delegation were seen off at Beijing International Airport by Representative of the Chinese government and Assistant Foreign Minister Qian Hongshan, Qatar’s Ambassador to China Sultan bin Salmeen al-Mansouri and the Qatari embassy staff.

The Emir sent  cables to Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Li Keqiang,  thanking them for the warm hospitality and reception accorded to him and his accompanying delegation during the visit.