China is ready to step up communication and coordination with Saudi Arabia on hotspot issues in the Middle East and jointly safeguard regional peace and stability, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Thursday.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, said China attaches great importance to the development of the China-Saudi Arabia relationship and has always regarded Saudi Arabia as a priority in its Middle East diplomacy.

Co-hosting with Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Wang made the remarks at the fourth meeting of the Political and Diplomatic Sub-committee of the China-Saudi Arabia High-level Joint Committee designed to guide and coordinate bilateral cooperation.

China appreciates the Saudi side's adherence to the one-China principle and thanks the Saudi side for its longstanding and firm support on issues concerning China's core interests, such as issues related to Xinjiang, Taiwan, Hong Kong and human rights, Wang said. 

China appreciates the Saudi side's support for China's Global Development Initiatives and welcomes its active participation in the implementation of the initiatives, he said.

Wang said China also appreciates that the Saudi side pursues an independent and autonomous energy policy and makes active efforts to maintain the stability of the international energy market. 

China supports Saudi Arabia to play a greater role in international and regional affairs, and is willing to strengthen communication and collaboration with the Saudi side in the United Nations, BRICS, Shanghai Cooperation Organization, G20 and other platforms to practice multilateralism and safeguard international justice, he added. 

Faisal congratulated on the successful convening of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. He said that Saudi Arabia and China have established a high degree of political trust, achieved fruitful cooperation results, conducted close coordination and communication, and effectively safeguarded their common interests. 

The China-Saudi Arabia High-level Joint Committee has played an important role in promoting the development of Saudi Arabia-China relations, he said. 

Saudi Arabia has always prioritized its relations with China, adhered to the one-China policy, resolutely opposed interference in China's internal affairs and resisted politicization of human rights issues, he said.

Faisal said Saudi Arabia appreciates China's support for the just cause of the Arab people, its support for the establishment of a weapons of mass destruction-free zone in the Middle East and its initiative to establish a multilateral dialogue platform in the Gulf region. 

The Saudi side is willing to continuously promote the level of practical cooperation with China in political, economic and investment fields, he added.

(Cover: Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi co-hosts the fourth meeting of the Political and Diplomatic Sub-committee of the China-Saudi Arabia High-level Joint Committee with Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, October 27, 2022. /Chinese Foreign Ministry)