Ammon News - Chinese Ambassador to Jordan Guo Wei said that His Majesty King Abdullah II’s visit to China is an important visit in the history of friendship between the two countries, noting that the two sides plan to sign a series of cooperation agreements and memoranda of understanding and expand the areas of economic and development partnership.

In an article titled "Jointly Writing a New Chapter in the China-Jordan Strategic Partnership" published in the Chinese People's Daily, Guo added that His Majesty will hold talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping to exchange views on bilateral relations and international and regional issues of common concern.

He noted that King Abdullah II is an old friend of the Chinese people, and this visit marks his ninth to China since ascending the throne. During his visit to China in 2015, the two heads of state jointly announced the elevation of China-Jordan relations to a strategic partnership.

"This visit by the King is an important one, marking a new historical starting point for the traditional friendship between China and Jordan. Against the backdrop of a continuously complex and changing situation in the Middle East, King Abdullah II is the first Arab head of state received by China this year. President Xi Jinping will work with him to provide strategic guidance for further deepening the strategic partnership between the two countries and maintaining regional peace and stability," Guo stated.

The Ambassador also indicated that political mutual trust has set the tone for friendship. Over the 49 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, political mutual trust between China and Jordan has deepened continuously, with both sides firmly supporting each other on issues concerning their core interests and major concerns. Jordan adheres to the one-China principle.

He confirmed that China supports Jordan in exploring a development path suited to its national conditions, in safeguarding its national sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity, and in protecting the Hashemite family's guardianship of Islamic and Christian holy sites in occupied Jerusalem.

China and Jordan share similar positions on international and regional issues, both firmly upholding the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, firmly supporting the just cause of the Palestinian and Arab nations, striving to maintain regional peace and tranquility, and working together in international humanitarian endeavors, he said.

Regarding economic cooperation, Guo Wei said: "Mutually beneficial cooperation is playing out a harmonious symphony of development. In recent years, pragmatic cooperation between China and Jordan has yielded fruitful results. By 2025, China will become Jordan's largest trading partner. According to Chinese statistics, in the first quarter of this year, bilateral trade totaled approximately US$2.58 billion, representing a year-on-year increase of over 30%, demonstrating strong growth momentum."

Both sides plan to sign a series of cooperation documents to strengthen cooperation in various fields, including trade and investment, energy, mining, tourism, education, agriculture, and science and technology; expand cooperation in emerging fields such as green development, the digital economy, artificial intelligence, and advanced manufacturing; and promote the alignment of the Belt and Road Initiative with Jordan's vision for economic modernization, jointly forging ahead on a new journey of modernization, according to the Ambassador.

Furthermore, he stated: "People-to-people bonds resonate with harmony. China's aid projects in Jordan, such as the construction of the sports city, water network renovation, and road upgrades, bear witness to the friendship between the two peoples. Chinese culture is deeply loved by the Jordanian people. The "Chinese language fever" in Jordan continues to rise, and the foundation of seven official Chinese language teaching centers and two Confucius Institutes will be further expanded. Both sides are making continuous progress in areas such as universities, media, think tanks, culture and tourism, film, sister city exchanges, and facilitating personnel exchanges. This will cultivate more ambassadors for the continuation of China-Jordan friendship and will also help China-Jordan cooperation play a broader role."