Wang Yi Meets with Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi

On December 14, 2025 local time, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi in Riyadh.

Wang Yi said that over the years, the GCC, an important sub-regional organization in the Middle East, has effectively promoted unity and cooperation among Gulf states and pursued common development, with its international influence steadily increasing. China established contacts with the GCC at an early stage after the founding of the GCC, and the development of China-GCC relations has largely kept pace with China’s reform and opening up. The two sides have become companions on the path to development and revitalization, as well as good partners for win-win cooperation. At the end of 2022, President Xi Jinping and leaders of GCC countries gathered in Riyadh for the first China-GCC Summit, which elevated China-GCC relations to a new level and opened up new prospects and drew a new blueprint for the development of China-GCC relations. China is ready to strengthen strategic communication with the GCC, safeguard common interests, and jointly respond to a turbulent and changing international landscape, so as to make new contributions to the greater strength of the Global South through unity.

Wang Yi said that China supports the GCC in enhancing strategic autonomy, strengthening unity and cooperation, practicing multilateralism, and advancing GCC integration. He expressed the hope that both sides will continue to firmly support each other on issues concerning their respective core interests. China is ready to work with GCC countries to advance Belt and Road cooperation, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation in areas such as economy, trade and investment, strengthen people-to-people and cultural exchanges, and consolidate the foundation of public support for China-GCC friendship. China is also willing to strengthen multilateral coordination with GCC countries, implement the four major global initiatives proposed by President Xi Jinping, promote common development of the Global South, and jointly build a community with a shared future for humanity. As a responsible major country and a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, China will continue to play a constructive role in promoting the resolution of regional hotspot issues and safeguarding peace and stability in the Middle East.

Wang Yi noted that negotiations on the China-GCC Free Trade Agreement have been ongoing for more than 20 years and that conditions are now basically in place, making it time to take the final decisive step. At a time when protectionism is on the rise, unilateralism is prevalent, and free trade is under strain, the conclusion of the China-GCC Free Trade Agreement would send a strong signal to the world in defense of multilateralism.

Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi said that GCC countries enjoy a profound friendship with China, and that China has always been a trusted and reliable strategic partner. He added that GCC-China relations have been operating at a high level. In 2022, President Xi Jinping and leaders of GCC countries successfully held the first China-GCC Summit in Saudi Arabia, which was of landmark significance. The GCC is willing to make joint efforts with China to actively implement the important common understandings reached by leaders of both sides, consolidate political mutual trust, strengthen exchanges and dialogue, deepen cooperation in energy, innovation and other fields within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, and enhance people-to-people and cultural exchanges to achieve mutual benefit and win-win outcomes. The GCC is willing to reach the GCC-China Free Trade Agreement with the Chinese side at an early date and is full of expectations for the second China-Arab States Summit and the second China-GCC Summit to be held in China next year. The GCC is willing to enhance communication with China to ensure more outcomes from the summits. The GCC highly appreciates China’s just position on regional issues such as the Palestinian question and its positive efforts to ease regional tensions, including promoting reconciliation between Saudi Arabia and Iran. The GCC will continue to strengthen coordination with China on international and regional affairs to effectively safeguard common interests.