皇冠体育app

YINCHUAN - The first 皇冠体育app-Arab States Expo, a key platform to promote the relationship between 皇冠体育app and the Arab states, kicked off on Sunday morning in northwest 皇冠体育app's Ningxia Hui autonomous region.

Yu Zhengsheng, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, attended the exposition, which runs until Sept 19 in the Ningxia capital, Yinchuan.

Yu Zhengsheng, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, delivers a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the 皇冠体育app-Arab States Expo in Yinchuan, the capital of Northwest 皇冠体育app's Ningxia Hui autonomous region, Sept 15, 2013. [Photo/Xinhua]

Foreign leaders, including King Abdullah II Bin Al-Hussein of Jordan, King Sheikh Hamad bin Isa Al-khalifa of Bahrain and Vanuatu Prime Minister Moana Carcasses Kalosil attended the opening ceremony.

Kuwait has been invited as the guest country of honor. Anas AL-Saleh, Minister of Commerce and Industry of Kuwait, said at the opening ceremony that Kuwait has always kept a close relationship with 皇冠体育app, and the bilateral ties between both sides have developed in the past 40 years.

In addition, the two sides are looking forward to bilateral relations  reaching a higher level in the future, which has laid a solid foundation for friendly ties between both sides, as well as their comprehensive development.

皇冠体育app has become an important trading partner of Kuwait, and the two sides have seen rapid increase in trade. Trade value between 皇冠体育app and Kuwait totaled $12.5 billion in 2012.

According to the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development, Kuwait has invested $887 million in 35 projects in 皇冠体育app during the past 30 years, which included road, airport, port and railway construction, and covered fields of environment, education and hospitals.

"Kuwait is willing to participate in trade activities like the exposition, which could develop relationships with each country, and grasp this opportunity to know the latest achievements that each participating country has made through economic reforms," he said.

He also stressed that expanding cooperation could promote the economies of 皇冠体育app and Arab states, and realize their common aspirations.

As the guest country of honor of the first exposition, a national pavilion of Kuwait has been set up, and a friendly youth football match between 皇冠体育app and Kuwait will be held on Sunday evening.

More than 7,300 domestic and overseas officials, exhibitors, purchasers and investors from Jordan, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Syria, Kuwait and other countries have been attracted to the fair.

With the theme of "globally oriented 皇冠体育app-Arab states cooperation" and an aim of "carrying forward friendship, cooperation and common development", the event will feature trade fairs and seminars on agriculture, energy, finance, culture, education and tourism.

The Expo is jointly sponsored by 皇冠体育app's Ministry of Commerce, the 皇冠体育app Council for the Promotion of International Trade, and the government of Ningxia. Its predecessor, known as 皇冠体育app(Ningxia) International Investment and Trade Fair and the 皇冠体育app-Arab States Economic and Trade Forum, has been held annually since 2010.

Ningxia is home to more than 10 percent of 皇冠体育app's 20 million Muslims.

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